Harbinger of Calamity
by gurechi
Summary: Abandoned by the gods, Set finds himself being summoned back to the City of the Sun to become the High Priest to a new Pharaoh. Little does he know that his fate is unpredictable and that his destiny has only begun. Set in Ancient Egypt. AU. KaiJou
1. Beginning of the End

**Author's Notes:**

A new series I'm starting. This will be a multi-chaptered story set in the time of Ancient Egypt. I've recently found my renewed love for Yugiou, which has stimulated me to research on Ancient Egyptian culture, history, and myths.

**Disclaimer: **This will be mostly about my take on the past reincarnations of Jounouchi Katsuya and Kaiba Seto. Please remember that this is fanfiction, something I've created with non-original characters. I've given them new names and will even introduce some new original characters, but ultimately, all recognizable characters belong to Takahashi Kazuki.

Enjoy, and please review.

* * *

**Harbinger of Calamity**

**Chapter 01- Beginning of the End**

_There was no salvation. Only rain of fire and lightning._

_There was pain and there was betrayal. But only the glow of a golden eye remained._

_There was no redemption. Only a distant horrific laughter that resounded in the skies._

_There was a memory and there was a will. But only the burning light lingered._

_And there was nothing more._

* * *

He woke up not knowing who he was or where he was from. He opened his eyes and then choked up sand that had layered on top of him. He tried to sit up but the layer of sand had been thicker than he thought. How many days and nights had he been unconscious here that the sand threatened to swallow him up?

Coughing, he struggled to crawl out of his sand-prison, ignoring his body's protestations of moving. His mouth was dry and his eyes watered as he slowly dug his way out. He felt weak and tired, and he just wanted to close his eyes and sleep everything away. But he knew that he had to get out or he would die from suffocation.

Just as he thought he couldn't take it anymore, something reached out to grab his arm to pull him out. Startled but grateful, he used the last of his strength to help push his way out of the thick sand. He flopped limply to the sandy ground and then looked gratefully to his savior only to find no one there. _Where…?_

He was delirious. That had to be it. Where was the person who had helped pull him out of the thick layers of sand? Maybe he was really just breathing his last breath and hallucinating about his freedom. He took a couple deep breaths of the desert air and pinched himself hard, only to wince when he felt the pain. So it wasn't a dream.

The young boy frowned, eyes tired and body weary, and ignored the inherent feeling of something tingling down his spine. Whoever had helped him was gone now, and it was best not to think about it for now. Rather, he needed to find shelter, some kind of shade even, lest he burn under the bright scorching sun. The insides of his mouth felt like sandpaper, and he yearned for a drop of cold liquid to soothe his dry throat.

Making a tremendous effort to pick himself up, the boy caught a glimmer of red from the corner of his eye and whirled his head to stare at the thing that had shimmered at him amongst the sand.

Dropping to his knees, he brushed the thin layer of sand off the bright object and picked it up. Hanging on a thread of gold, was an intricate oculus shaped pendant with a pulsing and glowing red jewel set into the middle as the pupil. The boy felt an influx of renewed energy flowing through his veins as he held the jeweled eye in the palm of his hand, and he instinctively clutched it tightly in his fist.

He yelped as the sharp facets of the gemstone cut into his flesh and he would have dropped the necklace if he had not been concentrating on what was happening. The small drop of blood that had come into contact with the jewel began to sizzle and the boy watched in amazement as the ruby started shining a deep red and absorbed the small amount of blood he had shed. In return, the cut on his palm began to close until all remnants of his wound disappeared.

Confused and more than amazed, the boy fingered the Eye and hung the necklace on his neck, feeling that he needed to keep this valuable accessory close. He got back up on his feet once again and scrunched his eyes up in concentration as he tried to make out his surroundings.

There was nothing but an endless expanse of copper-hued sand stretching before him. He was stuck in the middle of nowhere, in the desert with no shade or shelter, no food, and no one to help him or to keep him company.

The boy trembled slightly at this realization, and he clenched his fists in desperation. He did not want to die. Despite not knowing his own name or where he was, he wanted to live. He did not know what fueled this motivation, but it was enough to keep him going.

Gathering his cloak around him to shield himself from the sun, the boy took a deep breath and then lifted a tired leg forward to begin his journey to nowhere.

**End of Chapter 1**


	2. Resurfaced Memories of Regrets

**Author's Notes:** Please read and review! All footnotes are after the story. Please scroll down if you're having trouble with the terms and whatnot.

**Disclaimer:** Yugioh does not belong to me.

* * *

**Harbinger of Calamity**

**Chapter 2- Regrets and Resurfaced Memories**

A pair of blue eyes glared at the eight escorts in front of him who were busy making themselves look at anything but that sharp intimidating glare.

Shifting uncomfortably from his position, the escort standing at the very front stepped out to represent the rest of the awkward group. Keeping his head low and voice steady, he delivered his message to a tall auburn-haired man, of whom those sharp blue eyes belonged to.

"And therefore, this is the decision of the Majesty, _Hetep di nisu [1]_, _Khasekhemre Meri're, Meri'Atem Irimaat [7]_, the Son of Ra, the beloved of Ma'at, and the manifestation of Horus. By his order, you must travel to The City of the Sun, _Per-Atum [2]_, immediately and assume your duties. He will be expecting you within two moons from now. It is our responsibility to escort you back to him when you are ready, _Wabu [3]_."

Finishing his message, the escort sighed silently to himself, not daring to look at the one before him. He had come all the way from the royal city of _Iunu [4]_, the City of the Sun and the Pillar, to this backwater village that was not even worthy for a servant of the palace to tread on. And now he had to escort this intimidating upstart back to the holy city itself just so this boy, barely turned man, could attain his role as the _Hem-netjer [5]_ of Atum-Ra? It was ridiculous, but of course, he could not disobey the command of his _nisu [1.5]_.

Although their current King was very young, he was wise beyond his years, and his words held the will of Re-Harakhti, and who was he to disobey his king? That did not mean he had to like this sullen-faced boy-turned-man who would become High Priest under their ruler.

Meanwhile, the silence and tension of the room prevailed, growing thicker as time went by. At last tired at the silence, the escort dared to look up at the face of the young man with eyes the color of the Nile, and he gasped at the bitter smirk on the young priest's face.

"Hn, who knew he would do something so reckless like this? Well, he is the nisu now. I suppose I have no choice, although it is troublesome to call me now," the brunet thought out loud to himself.

The escorts overheard his words and hardened their opinion against him. To have the nerve to say their king's orders were troublesome, it was travesty! Why had their ruler chosen such a discourteous person to become their next _Hem-netjer_? Was he even learned and educated in the ways of a true priest?

They kept their mouths shut and their thoughts to themselves, but waited for the boy with blue eyes to respond. They'd still have to put up with him for now.

In a louder voice, the boy finally gave his consent to travel to Heliopolis in a month's time and dismissed the escorts from his plainly built house.

* * *

Young Set looked up ahead into the distance, but all he could see was an endless horizon of copper sand. He would finally be returning to _Iunu_ after five years of absence and take his position as Atem's High Priest.

He had been born in _Iunu_ and had been raised there for fourteen years of his life as a candidate for the next ruler of Egypt. Atem, his cousin in blood, had been the other candidate. They had both been trained under the eyes of strict teachers and priests, undergone the same hurdles, and because of that, despite their subjected rivalry, had become friends. It had always been understood between them that one of them would become the King, and the other the High Priest.

However…

Everything had ended five years ago, the year he had endured hell. He knew he was not one to make friends easily due to his somber and somewhat distant attitude, but who would have thought someone had hated him so much to start such incriminating rumors? Unfortunately for him, the rumors circulated despite his father's attempts to quell them, and in the end after his father betrayed his own family, his mother and he had been banished from Heliopolis, settling in a nondescript village among the Red Sands. His promising future had been desecrated, and his family was broken apart.

Set was never one to pity anyone, including himself, and he did not believe in fortune or fate. But he would not forgive those who had taken part in defiling his mother and brother. He did not mourn of lost opportunities or of his ruined future but rather of what had been done to his mother and to his little brother, young _Maa'kheru [6]_.

Maa'kheru, barely only seven years of age at the time and filled with innocence and purity, had taken the brunt of the hate-filled rumors. Some of his friends had decided to play an awful hoax on him; in the end, their prank had gone too far, and Maa'kheru's soul had left this world. His own father, _Akhenaten [8]_, in an attempt to remove all ill repute against himself, disowned the entire family for fear of losing his position in the royal council and had done nothing about Maa'kheru's ill-fated death.

His lovely and strong mother had been devastated by Maa'kheru's death and her husband's betrayal. Faced with destitution as she and her remaining son were banished from Heliopolis, she became a mere shadow of what she once was, laden with desolation and hopelessness. Her broken spirit led her to often become sick, and Set, still young at the time, had not been able to do anything but watch his mother's health deteriorate as he clutched her as close as he could.

Two years later, his mother chose to leave him and joined Maa'kheru in the afterlife, her long pale fingers slipping from his numb cheeks and her light blue eyes, still on his face, dull to an insipid white. Set could still remember that she had been crying when she died.

He had been unable to cry for those he had loved.

In the end, _Asar_ _[9]_ had taken his loved ones from him and left him by himself in a village of uncivilized strangers. But, Set thought to himself, didn't everyone living here have one thing in common? They had all, at one point in their lives, been completely abandoned by the gods.

Ironically, the gods that had abandoned him would now have to put up with him. In less than two month's time, he would become the High Priest, a vessel of Re-Harakhti, the king of the gods, and the one who had originally banished him from the Holy City.

Set had not intended Atem to ever contact him or summon him again and had given up everything for loss. After all, who would want to assimilate him, a ruined prince who was a disgrace to the gods, back into society? And to a position as the High Priest, second to the King and no other.

It was laughable and absolutely ridiculous. Here he was, a man rejected by the gods, whose sole purpose in life was to now serve those same gods who had forsaken him.

Perhaps Atem had lost his mind over the years. It had been a while since Set thought about him, as he had spent most of his time with his scrolls and ancient papyri, reading and researching past history.

Set shook his head slightly in bitter contemplation as the sound of pattering feet and the creaks of the wooden litter continued in the background. It was hot and stuffy inside the litter, and he was tempted to just get out and walk with the rest of the men on the soft desert carpet. But then again, he had an image to carry and those escorts seemed like they disliked him. It was better to play it safe and stay in the confines of the cramped wooden box with his thoughts as company.

Set sighed once more and decided to take a look outside once more through the gauzy curtains suspended from the top of the litter. Something glinted off from the corner of his eye, and he strained to see an unmistakable silver sheen of something a little ways off in the distance. The silver dot started to get bigger as he stared harder, and by the time he realized what was coming towards them, it was already too late.

His escorts shouted from the outside, and he could hear panic and fear in their voices. The sound of sharp objects cutting through flesh and blunt weapons crushing bones could be heard, and Set refused to sit still and surrender to what was definitely an invasion of a band of thieves. The litter had long ago stopped, the donkeys braying loudly and kicking their hooves at rushing men. He slipped quietly out and unsheathed a copper dagger from his tunic, his eyes alert and widening when he saw one of his escorts get crushed in the skull by a blunt mace.

The situation was not looking bright, as they were grossly outnumbered in both men and weapons. Set wasn't sure any of them would be alive tomorrow, but he was sure going to take down as many as he could before he died.

Before he could register anything else, a thief had lunged at him, eyes wild and arms outstretched with a rusted dagger aimed towards his heart. Set swerved out of the way, his instincts barely saving his life, and he winced as the dagger sliced his arm.

The dark-haired thief had not expected his target to swerve so quickly and was unbalanced by his thrust. His eyes widened as Set moved swiftly and kneed him in the groin, dagger coming down to sink into his back. The thief instantly dropped to the ground, blood spilling from his wound, eyes wide in disbelief. He glared at Set with hatred in his eyes before they dulled and his breath stopped.

Set had no time to stare at his first kill. Two more thieves had seen their comrade fall, and were intent on killing him with no mercy. They both rushed at him with weapons forward, yelling at the top of their lungs. Set prepared to duck, but at the last second, saw that one of the thieves had decided to change his stance and aim low for his abdomen.

Too late. He wouldn't be able to move so quickly. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the impact.

The point of the rusted dagger came too soon, and he choked on the blood he could feel coming out from his throat. He fell to his knees as he stared at the two thieves chuckling sinisterly at his future demise, weapons ready to end his short life.

The brunet felt weak as he clutched at his fatal wound, dizzy from the blood loss. He coughed out blood and was amazed by the amount of red he blurrily saw coming from himself.

For a split second, he saw his memories flash through his eyes.

Despite his developed bitterness towards Atem for abandoning him during that his time of difficulty, despite his refusal to forgive his father for betraying him, despite everything that had happened to him, what had happened to Maa'kheru and his mother, everything—

All he could see was Atem's young face smiling at him with hands outstretched in friendship, his father who had looked at him with pride, firmly patting him on the back, Maa'kheru's happy grin as Set taught him how to shoot his first sling, his mother who had gently stroked his auburn hair and sang to him softly about majestic dragons and beautiful maidens—

And Set realized that despite everything, he missed them all, even Atem and his father. That even if they had all abandoned and betrayed him and left him alone in this god-forsaken world, he wanted to see them just once more.

Why?

Why couldn't he hate them?

Why couldn't he forget about them?

Still kneeling upon the blood drenched sand that was absorbing his life's liquid, hands clutching his wound, he did not realize the tears that were flowing down his face, dripping to mix with his blood.

So engrossed in his memories, he did not notice anything, not the sudden disappearance of the two thieves who were about to end his life, not the flash of red eyes as various men suddenly dropped down dead with their eyes still open from shock, definitely not the swirl of darkness that enveloped him in warmth, nor the soft hands that wiped away his tears.

He did not see anything at all as blackness consumed him.

**End of Chapter 2**

* * *

**Author's Notes: **

Originally, I put all translations and explanations at the start of the chapter, but I decided to just put them at the end of the chapter for your viewing pleasure. If you're confused, hopefully, you can just scroll down and look down.

I did a bunch of random research before I started this story, so I hope that everything is at least remotely accurate to Ancient Egyptian mythological stories and Ancient Egyptian culture. Of course, not everything can be accurate after all, because the stories keep changing with time, and there are a bunch of random contradictions here and there in Egyptian mythology itself. I've also taken the liberty of incorporating a couple of my own "myths" and edited some of the original mythological stories as I saw fit, as I wanted this story to focus on Set and *cough* "you-know-who." I haven't given him a name yet, so I shouldn't be mentioning him…

I will be addressing the pharaoh (Yugi's other self) as Atem, while addressing the god he is named after as Atum, just to make things simple and less complicated. Same thing goes for Set, and his godly counterpart, Sutekh.

So yeah, below are a list of terms and explanations that you might want to look over. I can't guarantee you'll understand it if you don't.

**Footnotes:  
**

**[1]** Hetep di nisu: the formal title for the king or the Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt. The word "pharaoh" or "per'aa" was not used by the Egyptians until 1450 BC in the mid-18th dynasty. This story takes place slightly before that, sometime during the early 18th dynasty, when the stories about Sutekh changed for the worst.

**[1.5]** nisu: short for the above.

**[2] **Per-Atum: Temple of Atum; also House of Atum, a name for the city, Heliopolis. Heliopolis is a word that the Greeks came up with for the city of Iunu.

**[3] **Wabu: a lower-class/ranked priest. It means "pure one."

**[4]** Iunu: Iunu was the Ancient Egyptian name for Heliopolis; means "place of pillars."

**[5] ** Hem-netjer: High Priest, a powerful figure underneath the Pharaoh. He is responsible for the main Temple and is the one who performs the rituals/carries out the duties to satisfy the gods. He is also above all other priests.

**[6] **Maa'kheru: "true of voice"

**[7]** The pharaoh of Egypt had multiple names. The Praenomen or the Throne Name is usually the name that gets carried through history. In this story, Atem's name is just a shortening of his "full nomen name." It's complicated, I know, but oh well.

Atem's name: Atem's name itself means "accomplished one."

*The Heru Name: **Sekhemkhet** (Almighty Heru, **Powerful in body**)

*The Nebti Name: **Neter Nesyt** (He of the Two Ladies,** Divine of Kingship**)

*Golden "Heru" Name: **Khasekhemre **(Heru of Gold, **The Power of Ra appears**)

*Praenomen (The Throne Name): **Meri're** (Lord of the Two Lands, **Beloved of Ra**)

*Nomen (The Personal Name): **Meri'Atem Irimaat** (Son of Ra, **Beloved of Atem, who does what is just**)

Set's name: Set's name itself means "to dazzle."

*The Heru Name: This name is given to the ruler or pharaoh. Because Set was a candidate of becoming the next Pharaoh due to his mother's royal blood, he was given a Heru name. However, this name is now null, since he does not become the pharaoh.

*The Nebti Name: **Netcher Mesut** (He of the Two Ladies, **Divine of Birth**)

*Golden Name: **Sekhem Neteru** (**Powerful one of the gods**). Although the golden name is often considered the Golden Heru name, the "golden" part of it was derived from Sutekh's original connection as the king. Sutekh used to be the god of the city Nubt, which was the major city of gold trade. Over the years after the unification of Upper/Lower Egypt, the original views of the Sutekh were lost, and he became the embodiment of evil in Egyptian beliefs.

*Praenomen (The Throne Name): He does not have a throne name for the same reason he does not have a Heru name anymore.

*Nomen (The Personal Name): **Seti Tutmesut** (**He who belongs to Set (or Sutekh), Perfect of Birth**)

**[8] **Akhenaten: means "effective spirit of Aten;" Set's biological father in this story. The actual name of Set's father in the Yugiou manga is Akunadin, which may actually be a play on the Japanese word "aku" which means "evil."

**[9] **Asar: the Egyptian name for Osiris, who rules the dead in a realm beyond Nun.

Various Egyptian deities mentioned:

-**Atum (Atem)**: god of the Sun and creator later coalesced with Ra.

-**Sutekh (Set**): god of the storm, the Desert, foreign lands, wind, and eventually, chaos and confusion were added to the list. I like how his name means "to dazzle."

-**Ma'at**: known as the goddess of truth, balance, law, and order.

-**Ra**: the creator god of the Sun that arose from Nun and Naunet.

-**Heru**: the king of the gods, son of Aset and Asar, nephew of Sutekh.

-**Atum-Ra**: used interchangeably with Atum-R_e_; the combination of Atum and Ra. The Egyptians liked to combine their gods into one deity. There were many combinations with Ra, such as Amun-Re, a combination of Amun and Ra.

-**Re-Harakhti**: combination of Ra and Horus.


	3. The Zenith of Repose

**Author's Comments: **

Hi again! I just couldn't help it. I had to continue this story since it's all in my head, but my writing is extremely rusty since I haven't written seriously for years. Been busy with life and all. Thanks to the two people who read the first two chapters, and I hope at least another two more people continue to support me by reading and reviewing the upcoming chapters!

Please read the footnotes on the bottom if you're confused about the bracketed numbers! All chapters are unbetaed, so please be kind! Sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes. And most importantly of all, please review and tell me what you think! Thanks!

**Disclaimer: **

Yugioh! and Yugioh! Duel Monsters belong to Takahashi Kazuki. I don't own any of the characters except the original ones I've created. The story is AU, and certain events that happened in the series don't happen here.

**" " Speaking outloud**  
**\ \ Speaking telepathically**

* * *

**Harbinger of Calamity  
**

**Chapter 3- The Zenith of Repose**

It was warm.

And he was laying on something soft yet grainy. He could hear the sounds of a storm far away and the baying of the jackals in the distance. _[1]_ Yet he did not feel afraid or threatened.

It was peaceful, and now that he concentrated, he could also make out the trickling of water and the soft breathing of someone very close. _[1.5]_

He tried to open his eyes, but they would not open. _Why-_

Suddenly, everything came back to him and he panicked, struggling to move, to do anything, to be able to see.

However, he could not move or do anything other than feel his heart beat faster in fear and hear the sound of his quickening breath. His mouth opened to take in large irregular breaths of air, but he could not speak.

What was happening? Why couldn't he see or move or do anything?

But before he could hyperventilate, a warm hand dropped gently onto his forehead, and his fear abruptly left him.

_Sleep,_ a pleasantly soft voice resounded into his ear.

And Set found himself capitulating to those tenderly-spoken words.

* * *

When he arose up again, everything was bright beneath his eyelids. He was very warm, almost uncomfortably so, and he could feel something thick and downy draped across his skin.

This time his eyes did open when he tried, and he blinked at the intense light shining into his face. Before his eyes could become accustomed to the light however, a figure appeared in his blurred vision to look intently down at him.

Set tried to sit up on whatever he was laying on, but the figure knelt down to stop him from getting up.

"Wha-" he began to question but was stopped by the figure who touched calloused fingers to his lips.

Letting his head drop softly back down, he struggled to speak, but all that came out was a hoarse croak. The figure that he had yet to see clearly slipped a bowl against his lips, and Set greedily drank the clear water until the bowl was empty. Feeling refreshed by the cool liquid washing down his parched lips and dry throat, he made another attempt to speak.

"You… where am I? What happened?" His voice was still raspy, but at least he could talk. He rubbed tiredly at his eyes and blinked until the figure before him became clear.

It was a boy with unusual vivid amber-colored eyes and a faint smile on his lips. He couldn't have been older than Set from his looks, and oddly enough, his head was completely covered by a fur-covered hood.

The boy merely stared at him, not saying a word.

Set repeated his question, but the amber-eyed boy did not respond. Could this boy not hear him? Did he not understand the language? Was he mute or deaf? Slightly irritated, he attempted to make hand movements, patting the makeshift bed around him and then lifting his hands in question.

The boy tilted his head slightly in amused curiosity, and then deliberately placed his hands on Set's stomach. He caressed the bandages around Set's abdomen as if searching for something and then moved his hands up to Set's face. The intimate action made Set feel nervous and extremely uncomfortable. No one but his family had ever dared come so close to him. The last personal contact he had with someone was his mother when she died.

The boy continued to grip his face, eyes staring unwaveringly at Set's confused blue eyes and then, to Set's bewilderment, smiled shyly. His slightly calloused hands were surprisingly warm on his cheek, and Set's skin prickled at the familiar feeling.

_Familiar?_

Uncomfortable and confused, Set pushed the boy's prying hands roughly away from his face, his voice rising partly in embarrassment and partly in frustration at not being able to get a response. "Speak! Can't you speak!"

His anger seemed to snap the boy out of his inspection of his face. Set watched as the smaller boy hesitantly brought a hand up to his own throat, glancing wearily at his evident irritation.

Set sighed. It was possible that the boy was mute, and he felt slightly guilty for making demands to someone who had possibly saved him.

Clearing his sore throat and putting effort into trying to apologize, something he was never good at, he rasped as contritely as he could, "It wasn't my intention to yell at you, and for that, I apologize. Are you able to understand me?"

The boy nodded his head fervently, his cheeks red with discomfiture at the situation, and he once more settled down to look at Set, head tilted thoughtfully.

Inside, Set felt helpless and confused. His usual acuteness and quick wit had deserted him, and he still felt lightheaded. And then, as he decided his situation was irrevocable and ultimately hopeless, an excited hand had taken his own hand in a firm grip.

Unceremoniously interrupted from his thoughts, he looked up and caught himself staring at uncanny gold eyes, bright with something akin to anticipation. Out of sheer habit, he pushed the other boy away only to have his hands grabbed again stubbornly.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, once again baffled at the boy's actions.

Was this boy crass as well as mute? Set did not like being touched, especially by strangers he barely even knew. This boy was no exception, even if he did happen to save him from death's clutches.

Sighing inaudibly, the boy determinedly clutched both of Set's larger hands in his smaller grip, and then glared at Set in annoyance for being so difficult.

The brunet scowled in displeasure but finally succumbed to the shorter boy's will. Whatever the other boy was up to couldn't be as bad as everything else that had happened recently.

Silence prevailed as the shorter boy seemed to concentrate on something very hard, his eyes closed tightly. The intense silence continued as the boy seemed to focus harder and harder. It wasn't until little beads of sweat trickled down his brow that the brunet became unbiddingly worried. Not for the first time, he wondered what was wrong with this odd boy with the very odd-colored eyes and the unusual tattered apparel.

Several minutes passed in what seemed like hours for Set as the silence yielded to nothing. Just as he thought this whole situation was becoming more absurd by the minute, he felt an insistent tug inside his head.

Bewildered, he turned his attentions back to the boy kneeling next to his side, who albeit a bit pale, was grinning faintly in triumph.

Again, he felt an insistent tug coming from inside his mind, until some kind of unseen barrier gave way, and he heard a faint voice calling from a distance. It was muffled, as though a thick wall separated him from hearing the voice clearly, but it was evident the voice was male.

Amazed and slightly shocked, Set stared at the boy, who had opened his eyes to look at his reaction. The boy nodded in acknowledgment, delighted that his plan had worked, and his voice became clearer in Set's head until every nuance and tone was apparent.

\… You hear me, don't you?\ a slightly husky tenor voice resonated inside the recesses of his mind.

Set wasn't sure how to answer that. Here was a strange boy who he hardly knew talking to him inside his own head. Maybe he had gone crazy from the blood loss, or maybe the boy was some kind of odd magician or priest that could speak in people's minds. There was something incongruously bizarre about this circumstance, though Set knew he shouldn't be surprised.

After all, hadn't he grown up in the palace surrounded by strange magical occurrences, learning about monsters and peculiar beings dwelling in a void called the Realm of Shadows? But he had thought those days had been left behind him. Being exiled to a forsaken village with no remnants of any magic had caused him to grow jaded, dubious, and skeptical to things that could not be explained or seen.

\Hello? Please tell me you can hear me,\ the voice continued.

Slightly annoyed at having some random child interrupt him in his thoughts, he turned to face the boy and frowned dispassionately.

"How are you talking in my head?" he demanded.

The other replied unhelpfully.

\I don't know. I just concentrated, and it worked. Finally someone who I am able to connect with!\

_Connect? What in Ra's name was this boy talking about?_

"What do you mean you're able to connect?"

The boy just shrugged and replied vaguely, \Not everyone has the capability.\

Set grunted in impatience at such an infuriatingly short reply, as he rummaged through his head of what to think of his situation and this strange specimen of a boy who he doubted would answer any of his many questions. A frustrating boy, with a light and melodic voice, slightly husky, with a childlike innocence.

It was then Set noticed that the boy still had his hands in a tight grip, and he tried to break away unnervingly.

\Stop,\ the voice interjected. \If you break away, our communication link will fail, and it'll take me a lot of effort to put it up again.\

Feeling nauseous from everything that was happening, the brunet gave up on pulling away and let his head fall back with a small thump against the makeshift pillow, letting the other boy continue to hold his hands.

"Can you answer my questions if I asked you?" he asked lifelessly, his voice dull and listless. He was tired, discouraged, and lost. These feelings were rare for him and made him feel vulnerable and totally helpless. For the first time that day, he wondered what would become of him and whether anyone would miss him if he never arrived in _Iunu [3_].

The other boy smiled sadly in understanding at the brunet's dejected air and resentment, and gave him a quick firm squeeze on the hand.

\I'll try. If it's in my power, I'll try to answer all your questions and help you get back to where you belong,\ he vowed.

* * *

Days, weeks, months had rolled pass quickly, and Set had grudgingly settled in at the shelter that he had ended up waking up to. For the time being, there was no way to continue to _Iunu [3]_, as he didn't know the location or direction the boy had taken him to. Wandering without any clue where he was going alone on foot without food or resources would be counterproductive and reckless.

At the present, he was staying with the odd boy with the ability to speak to people in their minds. His logical mind told him to bide his time here while he got his full strength back and learn everything he could about the desert and their location before disembarking for his journey across the expanse of sand. Or if he was lucky, he could possibly catch a ride from the few and rare traveling merchants heading towards the Holy City to sell their wares.

He thought back to the first day he had been awake, feeling vulnerable and extremely angry at himself for being so helpless. However, the other boy had tried to answer all his questions patiently, attempting to console him with quick squeezes on the hand and a gentle smile on his lips. Although it had been uncomfortable at first, the soft smile and the calloused hands eventually become a source of comfort for him.

He glanced down at the fur-covered head in silent fascination as the other boy meticulously tied a bundle of desert herbs together for safe-keeping. Apparently the herbs, according to the smaller boy, had remedial properties and were good for nutrition in times of hunger.

Set absently looked down, his hand clutching his abdomen in remembrance. When he asked the boy what had happened that day of the massacre, the boy had looked at him somberly with eyes of sadness. He had arrived too late to save anyone else, and had grabbed Set instantly when he saw that he was the only one still breathing, albeit weakly. His wounds had mysteriously disappeared when the boy had used his most precious item as a healing module.

The precious item was actually an archaic-looking necklace depicting the _Eye of Heru [2]_, with a blood red ruby embedded onto where the pupil should be. The boy had found the necklace by his side when he had awakened in the desert alone and had discovered, upon cutting himself, the eye had somehow healed his wound immediately.

Set found this strange. And when he asked the boy how he had somehow defeated so many bloodthirsty barbarians by himself, the other boy had frozen up, eyes suddenly cold. He had shrugged and given him a short 'I do not know what happened myself.'

This was highly suspicious, and Set suspected there were definitely important facts that the boy was keeping from him. It was evident that the necklace the other treasured was a source of strong magic, and its shape and form were similar to the Millennium Items that the high priests in the palace carried.

His own father had possessed one, the Millennium Eye that had the ability to see into the mind of a person. From what he knew, there were only six such items not including the king's own pendant, and only the highest of the priests were able to wield them.

Thus, it was very unusual that a boy with no known name or affiliation with the gods had something so powerful in his grasp.

There was another thing that Set was disturbed with. The smaller boy had no _name (ren) [8]_.

When he had first asked, the boy had shaken his head in silence and given him a grim smile. The whole situation gave him a sense of déjà vu. It was like someone in his past had once told him the same thing. Yet that couldn't be it because he did not recall that ever happening.

Still, it was awkward when Set would open his mouth to call the other only to shut his mouth in silence. There was nothing he could acknowledge the other boy by, and it unsettled him to think that this slightly clumsy boy had no name even when an abandoned child liked himself had a name. He never knew anyone who didn't have a name. Even the pets that the wealthy used to keep when he was still living in Iunu had names.

Yet one more detail bothered Set.

Over the days, he had studied the other in secret. He did not carry the darker skin tone for someone who lived under the sun constantly, albeit being in the sun pretty much all day. His skin was a pale peach and his cheeks were rosy, unlike the deep tan the Egyptians carried. His eyelashes were long and light-colored, and his features were delicate and distinct. His figure was slender and his form light, and oddly but endearingly enough, he was extremely inept at times.

This wasn't to say that he was clumsy all the time. At times where it counted, the boy was extremely resourceful and dexterous. He had quick reaction time, nimble speed, and precise decision-making skills.

Set thought back to the day previous when he had woken up to an empty shelter. He had gone out to find the slighter boy only to stare in admiration when he found him.

The boy was leaping and sprinting with a young gazelle, his bright countenance glowing in pleasure. He exuded natural grace, all signs of clumsiness that Set had seen on many accounts, gone as if he were a gazelle himself. His eye had caught Set standing dumbly in the open, and with a hand on the gazelle's flank, he had smiled at the brunet, eyes bright and almost wild.

It was a memorable event in Set's eyes. The innocence he emanated reminded Seto of his dead brother, Maa'kheru, yet there was something very mysterious and untamed about this boy. Even though he had some suspicions about the boy's background, Set found that he could somehow trust him to a certain degree. The aura he resonated was pure, warm, and unaffected by dishonesty.

Now that he had gotten comfortable with the other's presence, he wanted to know more about his apparent savior. It was in Set's nature to be calculative, strategic, and attentive to details as well as knowledgeable, especially about the things that involved himself.

It was rather obvious to him that the boy was not a native. His light skin tone and golden eyes confirmed that, and his features were exotically different from anyone Set had seen before.

One more odd feature Set had noticed right away from their first meeting was the boy's covered head. He had never seen the boy without something covering his head. This detail only made it all the more tempting for Set to attempt to uncover it while they were sleeping or when the other wasn't paying attention. But he knew better than to invade into the other boy's privacy. After all, he had plenty of secrets he was keeping himself that he didn't want others to pry into.

His musings were interrupted when the object of his thoughts appeared right in front of him, golden eyes looking curiously at his face. Set looked away quickly, his customary look of indifference settled back on his face as he attempted to cover his embarrassment of being caught staring.

The boy pouted slightly and then grabbed his hands, holding them out like a bridge that connected them, and spoke in his mind.

\You are always thinking of something. Are you thinking about where you belong?\

Set just shook his head reluctantly in response. The other boy looked at him with an expression of skeptical unbelief as he gave Set's hands a quick squeeze before letting go.

\Don't worry. I will use everything in my strength to get you back where you belong soon,\ he smiled softly.

\And look at this!\ he brought the item close to Set's face, excitement on his face.

It was a hooded robe not unlike what the royal priests wore in Iunu. Set stared at the cloth, automatically reaching out to finger the light and soft material. It was even in a royal blue color, the color he himself preferred and which his family had worn when they had still lived in the palace. The material was sheer and soft, like fine silk, and the craftsmanship gone into making it was just as superior. Gold thread had been sewn into the fabric itself in winding intricate designs along all the hems and edges of the robe.

It was beautiful and something he would be wearing at that moment if he had made it to Iunu and assumed his position as the _Nem Hetjer [10]_, second to only the king of Egypt himself, and the main priest for Atum-Ra in the king's own temple.

\It's for you.\

Set looked up once again to the stare at the boy's sincere smile, and he felt something stir in his chest.

He hadn't been thinking about getting back to Iunu at all until now, Instead, he had been distracted by the boy's genuine smile—like a perfect slice of the pale moon, bright, but not overbearing like the sun. It made him feel guilty for being distracted from his original goal, as those robes now reminded him.

And he was a fool for feeling this way. His future was not here in the deserted wilderness of the Egyptian _Red Sands [11]_.

His place belonged next to Atem, where his duties of High Priest awaited him. He could finally take back the life that had been taken from him five years ago. Those five years to him had seemed like a whole other lifetime ago, a life of hopelessness and restlessness, his potential and his talents gone to waste.

But now, he could go back to where he belonged once again, a place where his talents would be put to use, a place where he could attempt to be satisfied once again, couldn't he?

Yet, a part of him was reluctant, hesitant to leave this nameless boy alone in a wasteland of sand- this selfless boy whose own robes were tattered and plain while presenting him a beautiful new one and who stood by him and gave him the best portion in food and clothes and water and shelter. Could he really leave him alone?

Two months stuck alone in the desert with only one other couldn't have affected him this much, could it? He was being silly. This boy could obviously take care of himself, as he had done even before Set had inadvertently stumbled into his life.

And it wasn't like he asked for special treatment. His first and only request was to find a way back to Iunu. He never asked for the fine clothes or the choice meat, or even the first drop of fresh water in the goat-skin water carrier.

But the smaller boy's smile once again flashed within his mind, and he wanted to curse himself for starting to grow attached to someone else when he vowed five years ago not to do just that.

Taking in his silence and sensing the foreboding thoughts flitting across mind, the unnamed boy grasped Set's hand and then led him back to their temporary abode, any traces of his smile gone.

* * *

"What do you do out here in the Red Sands alone?" asked Set one day as he watched the nameless boy draw water out from the lake. They had awakened earlier than usual that day due to the boy's insistence.

He had dragged Set to an oasis in the middle of the desert to collect enough water for the next several days. By this time, Set had become accustomed to the strange lifestyle of a wandering nomad who was able to live off the resources of a seemingly barren land.

The other boy jumped slightly at the sound of Set's voice, eyes widened in surprise as if he were not used to someone addressing him, and then turned his attention back to filling his animal-skins with water.

\I do the best I can to survive,\ he replied simply.

Communicating with Set through his mind had become easier as the months went by, and at this point, the nameless boy did not need physical contact to converse with him. They had experimented weeks ago only to find that the longer their connection went without being broken, the further and further they could still contact each other. As of now, their contact distance was two stone throws away.

Due to their connection, it had become a habit for both of them to ask each other questions, to get to know each other, to fill the easy silence that loomed over them.

In a way, they were trying to dissipate the sense of loneliness each had inside of them that had spread like a plague over the years.

For Set, the five years of isolation in a cursed and forgotten village had made his soul harden and his heart cold. Ironically, the people in the village had stayed away from him in fear of catching his curse, and he had learned to live by himself without companionship.

As for the boy with the golden eyes, how could anyone not be lonely in a bleak desert by themselves with not even a memory or a name to call themselves by?

Set kept his mask of indifference at the boy's reply, but inside, his head was warring with conflict. The answer had hit too close to home. Was this boy abandoned by the gods as well? Where was his family and why was he in the desert alone? Yet while he had come close to giving up on surviving, this boy had continued on.

Where did the boy's strength to live come from?

\But sometimes, when the sun is high above the sky and glaring at me with intensity and the wind is violent and tearing me with its invisible claws, it feels like I should wither and be blown away like chafe,\ the smaller boy quoted absently as if talking to himself. \It's as if they want to punish those in the Red Sands.\

Set frowned at the ambiguity of the boy's words, yet he felt like he should be sympathizing with him. The boy's words reminded him of something he had read before, but he couldn't recall what.

He realized almost weeks after he had first known the other that the nameless boy sometimes tended to speak vaguely in riddles and quotes that he didn't quite understand. He didn't know if the other boy was even conscious of his own words.

Deciding not to broach the subject further for now, Set continued to watch the boy draw water.

But those words continued to trouble him as the days went by quietly.

* * *

"How much longer do we have to go?" Set asked one day out of the blue.

He was often reminded of his intended position and his current situation. He couldn't quite recall how long it took by carriage, but it should have been about a little more than a fortnight to reach Iunu from the outsiders' village where he had left. But now that he was on foot and going at a leisurely pace, he would have thought two months would have been sufficient time to reach his destination.

However, two months of walking had passed long ago, and it seemed they were not even close to any other city, let alone Iunu.

He had no choice but to put his trust in the other boy's direction sense, believing the other knew where he was going. After all, the boy had mentioned passing by a large city he believed was Iunu from afar. It helped that the Nile was in view to their distant right, and he figured as long as they followed up the river, they would eventually come across several major cities. And even if the city turned out to be somewhere else, he could always send a messenger to the king from there. What he really needed was a city with civilization.

The boy looked up in the sky and narrowed his eyes at a large red hawk gliding towards the east. He then looked back at Set and pointed towards the east.

\We must go east, closer to the river. We should refill our waterskins soon, and that is the shallower part of the river.\ He smiled at Set in reassurance as if he sensed his speculations about their unusually slow progress. \Our progress is not as quick as you expect due to being on foot. We also don't have sufficient resources to make long treks, and we are limited by our bodies' restrictions.\

Set sighed. On one hand, he was impatient to obtain his place and title, yet on the other, he wished he could be free just a little longer with his sole companion in the barren land that wasn't as infertile as he originally thought. For even the Red Sands had spots of fertile land, filled with food, resources, and water, as demonstrated by the numerous oases they had come across in their treks and the life-giving river flowing through it.

It was just something he was taught as a child within the palace walls. The god Sutekh, having lost a battle to Heru and altogether losing his entitlement as the leader of the gods, had been relegated to the infertile Red Sands, just as he himself also became _infertile. [11]_ His evil conduct for murdering his brother Asar and his deceitfulness had been his downfall- completely fallen from grace and known as the bane of all other gods.

And in the same way, the Red Sands were also the bane of fertile Egypt. Atum-Ra and Heru blessed the fertile lands, but the Red Sands were cursed and wretched, just as Sutekh was cursed.

That had been the story he was taught. And most people did not question the authority of their elders and their priests. But Set had been a precocious child, quick to question his elders.

He knew he had been named after Sutekh himself, and he wanted to know why. Why would his parents give him a name associated with the evil and disgraced god of their religion? Didn't they know he was ridiculed by his peers for carrying that cursed name?

So he had gone to his mother, knowing that his father would not tolerate questions against the King's will.

In reply, his mother had caressed his brow tenderly and told him of a story that was completely different from what he was taught.

Sutekh was a just and powerful god, ruler of Lower Egypt and a mighty warrior that slayed _Apep [14_] each night while guarding Ra on his journey through the underworld on their solar barque. But a misunderstanding occurred between himself and his siblings, and they turned their backs on him for doing something they did not approve of. His nephew, Heru had challenged Sutekh to a duel, and both sides suffered. But because Heru had the support of his mother and the other gods, Sutekh was demonized and his story was discredited. They had said Heru had lost the brightness of one eye, but that Sutekh had lost his testicle, leaving him and everything associated with him barren and sterile. That was not wholly the truth. Yes, it was true that Sutekh's associated realm was the desert, but even deserts had life and growth.

_He is a god that stood beside his values and continued to persevere even when all odds were against him_, she had said.

_I want you to be strong, to persevere in trials and tribulations, and to stand firm in what you believe in. Never give up on yourself._

Her words still rung in his mind often- especially after her death when he was at his lowest. He had even considered taking the easy way out and to just follow his mother and brother to the afterlife, but those words had stopped him from committing the deed.

And he was grateful. Because despite it all, he knew he didn't want to die just yet. He had a purpose. He just knew it, he could feel it in his veins—he was close to finding that purpose, that reason to live, and he would not die until he found it.

* * *

\I am glad,\ the boy had murmured in Set's mind one night as they both lay on a carpet of sand, staring up at the numerous stars that littered the dark sky.

Set's mind had been previously preoccupied with various methods of how he was going to ask the boy about his mysterious past without seeming nosy or intrusive. He usually wasn't at all meddlesome about other people's affairs, but at the same, it was in his nature to always know everything. He really hated being left in the dark.

Set had always been extremely tactical, and his intelligence and knowledge was his main strength when facing an opponent. And his past experiences had made him particularly paranoid of other people, and he knew that in his relatively short life, he only trusted two people fully with his life, and sadly enough, both were dead. Could he really fully trust this mysterious boy who had saved his life and was helping him find his way back to Iunu?

The boy's comment broke through his thoughts, and he asked the boy why he was glad. The night was quieter than usual, and his voice seemed loud to his own ears. He wondered if he was able to speak back to the boy using his mind as well. He was certainly getting used to it by now.

\I'm glad… that I found you in time. I hadn't realized how alone I was until I came to experience the companionship that another person can bring.\ Slightly embarrassed by his almost intimate confession, the other boy none too subtly changed the topic.

\The sky is exceptionally clear tonight, don't you think? I think I feel the most comfortable like this with the darkness above me with their thousands of eyes keeping their watch on me. It's a warm feeling, like they are telling me of a place far away, a place far better than this world we live in. And sometimes, they comfort me and give me strength to wake up to another day so I can glance upon them once again at night.\

Set couldn't help by smirk smugly at the boy's embarrassment. Over the months, he found amusement in making the other boy blush or flush in discomfiture. And the boy's unsubtle change of subject only made his smirk a lot smugger than it was previously. Nevertheless, he decided to ignore the little confession for now and respond to the boy's inquiry.

"Then it seems we both feel more comfortable in darkness than in light."

For it was true. Set really did prefer the absence of the sun in the sky. The darkness had been a comfort to him when he was younger, where he was able to act freely as himself without the prying eyes of witnesses.

He remembered feeling for his mother's soft brow in the darkness as she held him against her bosom when he was a child. He remembered Maa'kheru crawling into his bed and clutching him closely on stormy nights, the sound of thunder oddly comforting to his ears.

Although he wasn't comfortable telling the boy about his family or his past, he did say, "There are more than a few good memories I have that are more often than not associated with the darkness."

\Mmm…\ the other nodded in acknowledgment, slightly jealous of Set's memories. He wished he could remember something about his past, any kind of pleasant memory that he could cherish with all his heart.

A few moments of comfortable silence hung between the two adolescents until the golden-eyed boy broke into Set's thoughts, \Hmm… I wonder if you've noticed…\

"Notice what exactly?" questioned the taller brunet.

\That you are a natural in the desert. I've been watching you,\ and at this, the shorter boy flushed awkwardly at his admission but decided to continue anyway.

\You hardly seem to get thirsty from hours of travel on dry sand, and you are not intimidated by the endless expanse at all, nor are you afraid of the creatures that dwell in it. And indeed you are a good luck charm for we have not even gone through one sand storm in the months we have settled. I have been out here for more than two circles of the sun, and I've never seen the Red Sands so calm and peaceful until now. Maybe you are a minor desert deity without knowing it!\ he grinned teasingly.

Set just rolled his eyes at the idea. He may have been named after the god of the desert and chaos, but that was where the similarities ended.

"How absurd. It must be the time of season when the Nile is level, the air is tranquil, and the desert is calm due to low winds," he replied logically.

The other boy just snickered silently and continued to gaze wistfully at the stars.

* * *

It was at some point a week after their midnight conversation under the stars that Set had gathered up his courage to ask his traveling companion about his past.

The other boy shrugged uncomfortably but answered, \I don't remember anything other than waking up in this desert. You probably think it strange, right? I wake up and I am able to live with minimal resources, I understand your language and I know about certain things, but I do not even recollect my own name.\

Set frowned at the boy's response, but decided to question further. "And that pendant you possess, I wonder how you came to possess that. It is shaped in the Eye of Heru, which is odd in itself, for only the highest of priests can carry a symbol of the gods like that.

The shorter boy frowned and shrugged. \I found it, and it has been nothing but helpful to me ever since. I will not part with it just because I'm a nobody.\

Set shook his head and replied carefully, "I'm not asking you to part from it. After all, it belongs to you, but it's just rather odd that you would find something like that in a desert like this."

\I found it when I awoke,\ the other boy answered abruptly. \I was drowning in the desert and the sand threatened to engulf me, but then he saved me.\

Set frowned, his interested peaked.

"When did this happen? And 'he?' Who is this 'he?'" he questioned in curiosity. A tiny uncomfortable feeling bloomed in his chest as he wondered who else the boy met during his time in the desert. And here he thought the Red Sands was a lonely place absent of people.

\I don't know.\ The boy continued, \It feels like so long ago, maybe about twenty moons ago. As for 'him,' I can't really say, but I'm guessing it was _Tumaini [4]_.\

"Who?"

\Tumaini, a dear friend. Perhaps we will be able to see him soon.\

"Who is he?" he probed insistently, a hint of unknown jealousy in his voice.

\I told you, a dear friend who has saved me numerous times. I can never repay him, just as I can never repay _Ashai [5], Khai [6], _and_ Bahiti [7]_.\

Set was now indignant. Why was it that he never heard of these people before?

"Now what are you talking about? How come I've never seen these people around? I've been with you out here for a long time already, and not once have I seen th-this Tumaini, Ashae, or whatever."

\It's Ashai, and that's because you haven't met them yet. Oh wait, I think you might have met Bahiti, and maybe Ashai. Anyway, you'll meet them soon enough. They'll come back for sure. They're the only ones that do.\

The other boy changed the topic by pointing out some stars and telling the story regarding them, and Set was left to mull over the fact that there were others out here and he hadn't even heard about them until now.

He frowned in contemplation. And just when did he meet Bahiti or Ashai? He didn't recall meeting anyone at all in the desert, and aside from the other boy, there was no one else.

* * *

Set woke up one day to something cool, smooth, and leathery sliding across his ankle.

He had eventually grown accustomed to sleeping near another person again. His younger brother Maa'kheru used to always have trouble sleeping in his own room and would often come invade his personal space at night when he was still alive. But that had been years ago, and he had adapted to sleeping alone. But now…

The other boy was a disorderly sleeper, prone to moving tempestuously in his sleep. There had been more than one instance where Set woke up to find a limb in his face, or a leg thrown over his torso, or even a whole body draped across his thighs.

But whatever had slid over his ankle had been cool, unlike the other boy's warm warm skin, and totally unfamiliar.

His mind suddenly on the alert, Set blinked away his sleep and abruptly sat up to stare down at whatever had woken him…

And nearly screamed in alarm as a deadly looking silver snake slid across the other boy's torso, curling across his chest. Its head was moving towards the other boy's still-sleeping face, black beady eyes focused intently on its prey.

It looked poisonous.

Instinctively, Set moved immediately to grab the snake by the neck and to thrust it away as far as possible from the other boy, only to find the snake suddenly arching to face him directly.

He paused in fear, eyes wide as it hissed at him, its black forked tongue flickering madly at the disturbance. It opened its mouth at him in warning, and he stood stunned as a gaping black maw was revealed.

Now he knew it was definitely poisonous. He had heard stories from various laborers in the field during his exile about a nasty and violent snake named the Black Mamba, named after its gaping black jaw and black tongue, the color one saw before they died of poisoning. It was extremely lethal, enough to kill a man in minutes with its deadly bite. Many had fallen to its venom, leaving the rest of the village to become fearful and attentive to where they were walking.

He thought quickly, moving out of range of the snake's deadly fangs, and grabbed a nearby stick that was used to pick fruit from higher plants. A makeshift clay cup fell from its perch on the low table that the stick was originally leaning on and shattered on the ground. He winced at the sound, but his eyes didn't leave the silver snake.

He didn't have a plan, but right now his main priority was to get the snake to move away from the sleeping boy. He just hoped the other boy would stay still in his sleep so as not to call attention to the snake.

Wielding the wooden stick across the snake's vision, he backed up further when the snake started to glide towards him. By now, the snake's attention was fully on him, its hissing loud enough to scare even the toughest of men. He swiped at the snake's head, intending to take it out with one hit, but was overwhelmed as the snake dodged and slid quickly back to his sleeping companion.

Set had never felt as fearful for another person's life as he felt now. He had been saved by this boy, brought back from inevitable death, and now he couldn't do anything to save the other while death loomed so close.

Desperate and not caring for his own life, Set yelled at the top of his lungs to bring the snake's attention back to him. Unfortunately, the snake didn't move from its perch on the other boy's stomach though its head was turned towards Set.

Thinking quickly, he tried to do anything he could to catch the snake's attention and make it move from its spot, but everything was futile. He threw a cup across their shelter, he waved the stick around, he even dropped the stick and moved around the vicinity, but he could not, for the life of him, make the infernal snake move away from the boy.

Unfortunately, it was at that time that the other boy decided to wake up, probably due to the excessive noise Set was making. He blinked sleepily and moved to sit up.

Set panicked.

"Don't move!"

\Wha—\ The other boy paused as Set's terrified voice registered in his brain.

"There's a poisonous snake curled on your stomach if you haven't noticed. Don't do anything to upset it. Please try to not to bring its attention to you!"

\Snake-?\ the other boy questioned, still drowsy. \Oh!\

Before Set could cry out in warning, the other boy sat up quickly and caught the snake's coiled neck in a gentle grasp.

Set looked in horror at the scene before him until he realized the snake had turned its focus back on the young boy and instead of sinking venomous fangs into soft flesh, had flickered its tongue almost joyously across his hand. It immediately slid up the other boy's arm and settled itself around his neck in a content curl, once more flickering its forked tongue across the other boy's cheek.

It seemed that Set was totally forgotten in the snake's mind.

\Don't worry. It's only Khai. He won't hurt you.\

Set blinked in abject confusion. Only minutes ago, this snake was making threatening actions towards him and now it was settled like a pet tree snake across the other boy's shoulder. A deadly, venomous, and extremely volatile pet snake.

"How-?" he managed to voice out. This was the _Khai_ he had been speaking about? It was a snake?

\I rescued him from under a large boulder where he was trapped and wounded during a sandstorm. He is a good companion. He seems to know when I am not feeling my best and does his best to comfort me. He will not hurt either of us once he knows you are with me.\

Set continued to stare at the scene in utter incredulity, though by now, he shouldn't be surprised. Nothing about this boy was normal. How he became friends with an extremely venomous snake and not get bitten to death was anyone's guess.

True, there were court magicians when he had lived in the palace that could tame snakes and various animals, but nothing compared to this scene that was happening in front of him.

Did he just hear the black mamba purr in contentment at the boy's gentle stroking?

He must have had a ridiculous look across his face, because the other boy smiled and called him back to reality.

\Come closer. If he sees me extending a hand to you in welcome, he will not do anything to hurt you.\

As if the snake knew what the boy was thinking, it directed its gaze on Set and hissed threateningly.

Set looked skeptically at the snake. It looked like it wanted to kill him.

He shrugged, figuring that if he got bitten, he'd make sure the snake died with him. He moved towards them eying the mamba warily and grasped the boy's welcoming hand.

The snake hissed and stared at their conjoined hands but did nothing else.

\See? Now if we could all just be friends. But I wonder why Khai's here this time. For some reason, every time he comes and visits, _things_ happen.\

Set's ears perked.

"What do you mean "things happen?"" he asked.

The boy shrugged uncomfortably.

\I don't really know how to explain it. Let's just say the last time he visited me, I found you and your carriage immediately after he left…\ he let his words drift off in Set's head, knowing how much it pained Set to hear of the massacre that left him isolated here in the Red Sands.

"Maybe it's just a coincidence," Set reasoned.

\I suppose… but the time before that, I got attacked by a giant falcon, but then it suddenly became a pile of feathers, or the time when I met Hondo, or the time-\

"You got attacked by a giant bird?"

\Yes, at that time, Khai had just slithered off the night before, and I had walked in the direction of a nearby oasis, when a large bird from nowhere started attacking me. It would have ripped me to shreds and I was trying to fight back, but the next thing I knew, there were only a pile of feathers on the ground.\

Set frowned in consternation. He wondered if the boy often got attacked by wild animals. There was obviously magic at work here, and he really hated not knowing what was going on and what the source was.

He eyed the snake cautiously, who stared back him unblinkingly. It then slithered into collar of the other boy's robe, wrapping its long body around the boy's lean waist and resting its head on the boy's shoulder and neck.

Set grimaced. Were snakes known to be possessive and perverted? Apparently, this snake was getting away with being extremely intimate with his savior, who seemed to be completely oblivious to its affections.

Set had never been jealous of an animal, let alone a reptile, before. Until now, that is. He immediately brushed that emotion aside.

"Do you get attacked by creatures a lot?" he turned his attention back to the boy in front of him, who was absently petting the head of the content black mamba.

\Sometimes, but then Tumaini usually comes at the right times to help me. And I always have this pendant to protect me as well,\ he responded.

"You never told me who Tumaini is. Is he an animal also?" Now he was curious. Were all his friends animals?

\They may be what you call animals, but they have a _ka [9]_ just like you and I do. They are my precious friends,\ the boy thought to him in fervor.

As if it heard the boy's words inside Set's mind, the snake snuggled closer, flickering its tongue against the boy's soft neck affectionately.

Which made the boy burst out in silent ticklish laughter, attempting to move his neck away from the offending appendage.

Set became tempted to strangle the snake, but the boy's carefree face gave him pause. He had never seen the boy with that particular expression before. His heart lurched forwards in his chest uncomfortably, and he could feel the irregular heartbeats thumping against his ribcage.

_What exactly was happening to him? _He lamented.

* * *

Sure enough the next day, as soon as Khai had slithered off somewhere and they had set off for their journey, they came along what appeared to be ruins.

It was the remains of what used to be a small village, burnt completely to the ground. He could still see the charred remains of huts and small building as well as broken pottery and ashes littering the sand-paved ground.

It was a devastating sight, one that Set had never seen in his life. The complete demise of an entire village.

Eyes of gold brimmed with hidden emotion as the boy walked ahead of him into what appeared to be the remains of small home. A ragged handmade doll which once belonged to a little girl had been dropped at the foot of a run-down doorway, half-covered in sand, but amazingly enough, still intact and not charred.

Set watched his younger companion kneel down to gently pick up the doll, his fair hands reverently brushing off the dirt and grime that had settled into the fabric of the toy.

Set could hear the squawking of distant birds and the howling of the land animals as he cautiously followed the boy in front of him deeper and deeper into the ruins of the decrepit village.

"Where is this place? I've never heard of any villages being burnt down and abandoned just like this with possessions still lying around," he questioned as he looked around warily.

\Terror. This doll holds the terror of the little girl that held it. The village must have been attacked and burnt down by bandits or thieves, or maybe even an army, it seems,\ the boy answered, still tenderly stroking the little doll's pale dress, eyes glazed.

"You can feel it?" he asked, concerned for the boy.

\I don't know why I can, but it's almost unbearable, this pain…\ the boy whispered in his head.

"We should leave. This place is inhabitable. The possibility of survivors is little to none. But it appears to have happened relatively recently."

Together, they walked a little further on and stopped near the remains of what had undoubtedly been a huge bonfire. There were scraps of ashes and burnt wood that marred the ground, and he looked down in horror at the many skulls and bones that decorated the exterior of the fire pit.

Set could feel his body become heavier, as if there a large burden was boring in on him, and it seemed to take him more effort to move. There was a tension, a tense feeling of nothingness as he stared at the giant pit. That feeling- it was the feeling of deadness, like someone had stolen all the life in that one area. He could feel the throbbing of his head and the pumping of the blood vessels underneath his own skin.

He heard the boy gasp behind him, and he turned around to see him kneeling in the ground in pain.

Alarmed, he rushed to the boy's side and knelt to hold him.

"Are you alright? What happened?" He checked the boy for physical injuries, finding none.

He felt that familiar presence and pressure in his mind suddenly disappear and he panicked.

"What happened? Please, wake up!" he shook the unconscious boy only to receive no response.

It was the ruins that made him like this. They could not stay here any longer.

He hurriedly clutched the boy's knees and shoulders and lifted him against his chest and walked as quickly as he could out of the ruins, as fast as his heavy body could go.

He knew as soon as he was out, as the nauseous sensation he had been feeling vanished almost immediately. His body already felt lighter, and the other boy's face looked less pale than it had been inside. He panted in exertion as he laid the boy carefully on the ground and checked his vitals once more.

His breathing was a little faint and his skin was abnormally cold to the touch, but his heart beat was steady, and for that, Set sighed in utmost relief. He could not let the other boy die. He had failed Maa'kheru, and he had failed his mother, but he would not fail this time. Not when this boy had somehow crawled into his heart and settled there.

By now, he could admit he felt something for the other boy. The feeling was alien to him, but even he could notice the signs of possessiveness and jealousy, the desire to protect something precious, the aspiration to know more about him and to see him happy. He wasn't sure what it was and he didn't exactly welcome it, but he knew deep inside that he could never leave this boy alone again.

Leaning the boy's head on his lap, his fingers traced the fur-covered hat on the other's head, suddenly feeling tempted to remove it and to see underneath.

Battling his indecision whether to uncover the hat or not, Set tried to reason with himself. On one hand, he would be invading the other boy's privacy as he obviously didn't want him to know, but at the same time, weren't they getting closer and learning more about each other? If he thought about it in that sense, he would eventually find out anyway. What was the problem with finding out about it earlier?

He continued to muse. What was the reason the boy covered it? The boy never failed to have it on, covering his whole head and ears completely. Did he have a scar on his head? Was there an abnormal birth mark? Was it deformed?

Set didn't think he would care if it were any or all of those possibilities. The boy wouldn't change in his eyes. He would still be the same as he is.

With his mind made up, he was about to shakily pull the hood off the other boy's head, only to be interrupted by the object of question. The boy stirred on his lap and gold eyes stared up blankly at the sky.

"You're awake. Are you feeling better?" Set asked, suddenly feeling anxious and guilty for his near action.

The boy just stared up past him, golden eyes filled with blank sadness.

_\__Kul Elna [13]_,\ he whispered brokenly in Set's mind.

"What?"

But the boy had already fallen unconscious once again.

* * *

"Is Kul Elna the ruined village we came across?"

\Hmmm…?\ the boy was slouched against an olive tree, drifting between reality and daydreams.

Two days had passed since they've stumbled across the ruins, and ever since then, the boy had been laconic and prone to drift off during whatever they happened to be doing at that time of day.

Currently, they were in one of the scattered oases situated in the Red Sands, relaxing from their day's journey towards what Set hoped was Iunu. He had followed the nameless boy after he had woken up with no questions asked even though the other didn't inform him which direction they were going.

It was obvious something was wrong. His normal energy wasn't there, his eyes were always wandering inattentively, and for once, he was uncommunicative, which didn't help things at all.

Set himself was not a good conversationalist to begin with, which of course resulted in stilted and awkward communication between the two of them.

It was extremely disappointing that their conversations seemed to have relegated back to what it initially had been.

It was then that Set fully realized that he'd come to rely on the other's presence inside his mind. It had become a familiar and welcome extra weight inside, situated comfortably next to his own thoughts, and he was even starting to look forward to the long conversations they used to have.

Which made their current situation all the more upsetting. And he was getting tired of the awkward silence.

"Something is obviously wrong. You're still bothered by what we saw, and you're not like yourself. What exactly did you see? How do you know the village was called Kul Elna?"

The boy was silent as he inspected something on the ground as if were the most fascinating thing in the world.

"You won't tell me? Even though I can guarantee that you'll feel better immediately after you do?" Set questioned shrewdly, a little put off that the boy had ignored him.

The boy suddenly perked up. \Will I really feel better if I told you?\ he asked naively.

Set nodded smugly. As if he could ever be wrong. He was glad the boy was still innocent and totally naïve.

\T-then… if I told you, you wouldn't think less of me..?\ the boy asked hesitantly.

Set blinked. Was the boy afraid of losing his respect? Why would he be?

"I won't think any less of you," he replied easily.

\Promise?\

The priest twitched in slight irritation. He never went back on his decisions.

"Fine, I promise. Now tell me what's bothering you," he ordered.

\I don't know why, but somehow I was able to see what happened to that village,\ the boy started slowly, as if it were painful for him to remember. \It was called Kul Elna, and the people who built the village were people who were distant descendants of _Nubt [12]_. But because they were…different, they were exiled to the Red Sands, left to die. But they managed to survive and even thrive.\

\Despite the adversity, they were an optimistic people who adapted to their situation. There was a boy I saw. He was a beautiful boy with the shiniest silver hair I've ever seen. And then-\ here he choked on his words. \There was a lot of blood and they never knew what hit them. They didn't even have time to prepare or retaliate. An army with the king's own symbol massacred them all. And after that, their ka were taken from them, which is why it felt dead, because the people's ka could not even go to the afterlife.\

The tears were flowing down his face by now, and he wretchedly tried to wipe them off with his tattered robes. \But even then, all I could think about was myself- how afraid I was to see it. _Why me? Why do I have this ability? It would have been better if I had never saw it, to stay ignorant of all this. Why do I have to be different?_ That was what I was thinking the whole time.\

Set's mind was going haywire. The destruction of the village must not have happened that long ago. Why would the king send an army to kill a nameless people who hadn't even done anything? He didn't think Atem would have been capable of destroying a whole town. The questions that he wanted answered were killing him.

But apparently his silence seemed to be misinterpreted by the smaller boy, who sobbed all the harder.

\Do you think I'm a bad person?\ he asked brokenly, his tears soaking the neckline of his robes. It was soft and barely there, but Set heard it nevertheless.

"No, you're not," and he grabbed the boy, hiding the tearful face against his chest. He would not think about the King for now. He just didn't want to see the face that was meant to be happy to be in such torment. He wasn't meant to cry. He hated to see people cry—his mother, his brother, and now this boy.

So he did what he thought would stop the tears. He hugged the boy tightly to his chest and rubbed his back soothingly, like how he'd done with Maa'kheru when he was upset.

"No you're not," he repeated, "because I would have thought the same. If you're bad for thinking about yourself, then I would be guilty of being a bad person as well. It doesn't matter what others think, as long as I think you're good. Alright?"

Although initially surprised at Set's impromptu hug, the boy quickly succumbed to his uncharacteristic embrace, rubbing his face on the other's chest while listening to the taller boy talk softly and assuredly.

It was a warm feeling. He had never heard Set speak so affectionately before, as if he were someone important to him. And what he was saying was nice too, as if he were all that mattered.

Even if it were only for now and they would have to part soon, he just clutched tighter to Set's robes and immersed himself in that moment.

Set was right. He did feel better.

* * *

\Tell me about the great city you come from,\ the boy insisted on a scorching hot day as they were out sitting underneath the shade of a giant desert date palm, cooling off from their day's labor of foraging and gathering. The boy in particular was busy concentrating on the sugary date in his hands, making sure he didn't get too much syrup on his raggedy robes as he happily lapped at the juice the fruit provided. He had assured Set that they would arrive at Henen'nesut within the week, where Set could get supplies or send for a messenger to the king at Iunu.

Set, who had been distracted watching the boy eat his date, wasn't someone who liked to share about his life or his past, but he figured that the other would bother him until he told him something. After all, the boy had told him what he knew about himself, and he hadn't done the same courtesy.

Deciding it was easier just to be done with it and keep things simple, he fluidly told the boy about the great city of Iunu, the city of the gods where he grew up in. He told him how there were streets that belonged to the king paved with smooth stone and columns that held the foundations of the king's palace plated with solid gold. There were animals, donkeys, chickens, pigs, and many other livestock that were raised in the streets by the peasants and middle class families, merchants bargaining and selling their wares to people who passed their way, and children running in the streets freely with their friends.

All this he said with no uncertainty and with automatic grace, for it was a requirement for all nobility to be able to speak assuredly, whether they were telling a story or addressing the king. The boy listened attentively, bright eyes rimmed with amusement at Set's flowery words and storytelling voice.

\You are not usually one to talk much, yet you have just told me about your city in a voice that is telling a grand story. Your speech is not hesitant and your words are filled with detail,\ he pointed out to the brunet.

Set almost flushed at the boy's ability to notice such minuscule things but kept himself in check.

"It's because I was taught as child to be a good storyteller, among other things," he replied minimally.

\Ahh… you were trained as royalty, were you not? In the palace of the king among the other nobles. This is why you know so much about the inside of the kingdom and why your story was told from the perspective of someone higher than the peasants.\

To say Set was surprised was an understatement. This boy who he had thought was simple-minded was uncannily observant. Everything he had observed was true, because he was raised among the current pharaoh himself and had been treated like a demigod by the people around him. But then, none of that mattered because he had still been exiled and left to wither.

"You're accurate in your assumptions. I was trained to be a priest alongside my cousin. I'm sure you also noticed I had an entourage of escorts with me when you found me as well as the gaudy litter and colorful clothes they were all wearing," he muttered sarcastically. He knew he shouldn't have used that tone of voice, but being reminded of his past was a touchy subject that he didn't want to think about.

He felt bad as soon as he saw the expression on the other boy crumble a little, but that expression disappeared as soon as it appeared. Instead, the boy only nodded solemnly and averted his gaze to the far distant expanse of endless sand.

The silence was unbearable, and Set struggled to come up with an adequate apology, but his pride and his unsociable nature were getting in the way.

A hawk squawked from its perch on the acacia trees nearby.

\We should settle down soon, near those acacia trees in the distance. Dusk is coming and we have another long day tomorrow.\ The boy's words broke through the awkward silence, and Set's jumbled thoughts were thrown to the back of his mind as he watched the boy get up from the ground towards their intended shelter for the night.

_Wait_, his mind cried, as he unheedingly grabbed the fleeting boy desperately by his arm.

"I-I… I… I was unreasonably har—"

A slim but slightly calloused finger pressed against his lips to stop him from speaking further, and he stared questioningly at the shorter boy in order to gauge his expression.

\I understand,\ the other smiled hesitantly, \You need not say more. Because it's painful, right? I understand, and I'm sorry for bringing it up. There are secrets that are not to be shared with anyone but those precious to you, and I respect that.\

Removing his finger from Set's lips, the boy turned around once more to head to their destination, but Set couldn't just leave it at that. An empty feeling sprouted from his chest, one that was almost unbearable, and he grabbed the boy by the shoulders to turn him around to face him.

"That's not what I meant. Yes, the memories give me pain, and it will continue to gnaw at me," he blurted franticly in a manner that he thought was uncharacteristic of him, "but I want to share it with you, those memories… so that I may start healing. Will you be the one I can show my weaknesses to?"

Set felt like an imbecile, an idiot who had all but bared his entire soul to a mere boy who he wasn't supposed to feel anything for. He hadn't intended to say everything out loud, but those large blameless golden orbs held him captive, and he found himself stripped of his mask and his defenses.

And now what? He had pleaded like a man dying of thirst; his desperation was like that of a man seeking for a death pardon, and now he had put his feelings on the line that would undoubtedly be unreciprocated. The brunet felt his chest constrict as he stared down at his companion, who looked shocked at the confession more than anything else.

_What have I done? There is no possible way he sees me as I see him. And my question might have been too vague, and he might have misunderstood it. Does he even know that I just laid my heart on a platter for him? What will happen if I am rejected?_

Set's anxious thoughts could not help but rush as chaotically as the Nile during flooding season.

However, his negative feelings were abruptly interrupted when a quiet voice broke out from the recesses of his mind.

\Will you let me rush into your arms when I need you? Will you comfort me when I am sad or be the first to be happy for me when I am glad? If you will let me, I return, will do the same for you. Let me be the only one you show your weaknesses to. Let me be the one to hold you when you are in need of reassurance. Let me be the first to laugh with you when you are joyful, and I will cry for you when you cannot shed your own tears.\

Set was not sure he heard correctly, and he stared in wonder at the earnest and sincere words resounding in his head. And he couldn't help it, really, when he clutched the shorter boy to his chest and held on for all he was worth.

He could feel the other boy's warm arms encircling him in return and the soft smile on his shoulder, and for once, Set felt a happiness bloom inside himself that he didn't know existed.

**End of Chapter 3.**

* * *

**Important Footnotes:**

Single quotation marks (' ') denote the other boy's mental communication link with Set. He is not speaking out loud but rather speaking inside Set's head.

A couple of notes regarding when the first time Set woke up. There was some symbolism incorporated into the whole awakening scenario, how he was laying on something grainy, hearing the sounds of a storm and the baying of jackals, the trickle of water, as well as the soft breathing. Sutekh, whom Set was named after, was the Egyptian god of deserts and storms and chaos.

**[1]** The jackals could be taken into several contexts. They are a symbolism of the afterlife, a creature that Inpu (aka Anubis: god of mummification; the one who leads those who died in the real world into the realm of the dead) is often pictured or represented as. Sutekh was also associated with any animals living in the desert and the crocodile.

**[1.5]** The trickling water is a symbol of peace and tranquility to Set, how he feels calm and unafraid of any of the elements related to Sutekh, and the soft breathing (of the other boy) represents life. This represents that Set was still alive, although for a while, he was hanging between life and death, thus the mention of the jackals, an animal symbolizing the afterlife.

**[2]** Eye of Heru: symbol of power and a ward of protection. It is said in various Egyptian myths that Heru (Horus) lost one of his eyes in a battle with Sutekh.

**[3]** Iunu: Iunu was the Ancient Egyptian name for Heliopolis; means "place of pillars."

**[4]** Tumaini: The name means "Hope."

**[5]** Ashai: "Abundance."

**[6]** Khai: "Crowned."

**[7]** Bahiti: "Fortune."

**[8]** Ren: The Ancient Egyptians believed the "name" or "ren" of someone was extremely important and something that carried on forever once someone was named initially at birth. This is why royalty and important people had so many names and titles. Having no name meant one was less than human, worthless, or had no soul.

**[9]** Ka (Soul): The "ka" or the "spirit of the soul" was one of the parts of what the Ancient Egyptians constituted as the soul. They believed in that the soul consisted of five parts, the "ka" (spirit), "ba" (character or soul), the "ren" (name), the "sheut" (shadow), and the "ib" (heart).

**[10] **Nem Hetjer: High Priest; First Prophet. Set was appointed as the Nem Hetjer to the king's own temple to the main deity worshipped in Iunu at this point, Atum-Ra. This pretty much made him second in power to the King himself, above even the other high priests in other temples.

**[11] **Red Sands: This is the land that is said to be infertile and pretty much inhabitable, depicting the mythology that the god Sutekh lost his testicle to Heru in a fight, and therefore became infertile. In this story, the Red Sands is a place where all the unwanted and cursed people are exiled to, where those who worshipped Sutekh were banished to, and where thieves and robbers situate themselves at large.

**[12]** Nubt: The Ancient Egyptian name for the town of Naqada, meaning "Golden City." Located in Upper Egypt (southern Egypt), their main deity of worship was Sutekh.

**[13]** Kul Elna: Fictional village from Yugioh that Bakura came from. The village was destroyed completely by Akunadin in order to summon Zorc Necrophades. Bakura escaped this fate and vowed revenge.

**[14] **Apep: The reptilian serpent god of evil and hatred. He was an enemy of Atum-Ra who attempted to swallow the other whole during sunset.

**Reminder Note: **I know I mentioned this already, but I want to mention it once more- Take note that the nameless boy never really speaks out loud, but rather speaks into Set's mind. This can be differentiated from normal speech by a back slash rather than the double quotation marks. Also note that this whole chapter takes place over a longer span of time and does not just all happen in one day, one week, or one month. Rather, it takes place during the span of about six to seven months.


	4. Reminiscence of the Past

**Author's Notes:**

_Please, please, please read and review!_ I would greatly appreciate it and it'll encourage me to continue! The story is unbeta-ed. Excuse the minor grammar and spelling errors please!

Once again, footnotes are at the bottom of each chapter. Previous terms are explained in past chapters. This story is AU, set in Ancient Egypt, and contains BL. Be forewarned! XD;

I will be calling the human counterpart of Aset as Iset. The name Aset will refer to the goddess. All the names of the Millennium Items will be from the Japanese manga and Japanese animation version of Yugioh. An example would be using Millennium Necklace as opposed to Millennium Tauk (Tauk is from the American dub/sub.)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yugioh or its characters.

" " Speaking outloud  
\ \ Speaking telepathically

* * *

**Harbinger of Calamity**

**Chapter 4 – Reminiscence of the Past**

"He was supposed to be here by now. The journey should have only taken two fortnights to make, and yet now, even after the moon has gone by three times, he has still not arrived."

The king sat on his throne, eyeing his subject critically. He had summoned three months ago for his future High Priest and his cousin, Set, yet there was still no sign of his arrival.

"Yes, _Hetep ni nisu_!_ [1] _It seems that they had left two moons ago from that place, but there have been no signs of where they have gone."

"Bring Iset here. She should know if something has happened. Go." The voice was authoritative and did not provide any room for disobedience.

The king's word was final, the orders he gave were the will of the god, _Re-Harakhti [3]_.

A few moments later, the echoing of light footsteps could be heard, and Iset bowed low to the king before looking at him straight in the eye, her own face masked in indifference. It seemed as if she already knew what the king was going to ask of her, and she had come prepared to answer.

Atem nodded in silence at her, and she spoke, eyes slightly glazed as she articulated the visions that had come the night previous, as she had done countless times ever since she had acquired the Millennium Necklace two years ago.

"My king, I have seen many things happen in this short time that I have served under you. I have seen people live, die, start wars, conquer worlds, give their lives for a cause, and many others. However, the visions Re-Harakhti have given me last night were unlike any of other I have ever had. I did not see everything. It's as if something were trying to interfere with my power. My visions weren't clear, and the images were vague, but I believe I saw enough to know what has happened. I saw your intended High Priest bloodied and dying in the Red Sands with two men above him, weapons drawn and ready to give the final blow. I saw the escorts you have sent, _nisu [2]_, get crushed gruesomely by these barbarians, who are undoubtedly thieves, hunting on the travelers who pass through the land of sand. And after that, I was not able to see anything else but the blood red Eye of Heru staring straight back at me."

Here, Iset stopped, keeping her head bowed low to the ground, so she would not have to see the king's expression.

She tried to keep her face blank as she delivered the news to the king. She knew Atem cared a lot for this Set, this supposed childhood friend who had been banished due to many misunderstandings on the council's part.

She had never met Set; the stories she had heard had been vague and whispered among the royalty in the past. But Iset had seen him in dreams, faint glimpses of a handsome somber-faced man with eyes the blazing blue of a cold flame.

And because of that, she understood. This was a man who had locked his soul in an emotionless husk.

The visions of Set were rare, as if Heru's Eye did not want her to become too engrossed with the man. And although Iset was deeply loyal to Re-Harakhti, she couldn't help but be fascinated by what she saw of him. His slightly foreign features and unusual eyes of _lapis lazuli [5]_ made him different from everyone else. She had seen him study from the miniscule collection of scrolls he had taken with him, eat, and even asleep. But the last time she saw him was him getting stabbed by a barbarian and his life's essence coming out in a stream. She had used her Eye once more to see him, but she could not come up with anything, which could only mean one thing.

She closed her eyes briefly, and dared not look up to see the king's expression. She had only known Set in her visions, but she could still feel the loss of someone that was important, especially to her King, who never failed to ask each day whether his High Priest had arrived at the palace yet.

Meanwhile, the king sat still, his face pale and drained of blood. His normally intense crimson eyes were shut in disbelief and grief for the cousin and friend he had loved despite their differences during their youth.

Set was not dead, he thought desperately. He could not be. _Asar [6]_ would not just take him so easily when he had a whole future ahead of him.

Because although all the misfortunes that had befallen Set did not involve him, Atem couldn't help but feel regret for never trying to help him. Set must have felt betrayed by his father and by his supposed best friend and rival. And Atemu lived every day of those five years in guilt for letting his cousin be defamed by the corruption of the council at that time. He had vowed he would bring his cousin and friend back into the arms and grace of _Atum-Ra [8]_ as soon as he had the opportunity to do so.

His time of opportunity had come when his father, the late king, finally breathed his last, his soul passing the trials of _Ma'at [4]_ and now residing with Asar.

Atem was now king, his word was now god, and his orders were not to be questioned. His will was the will of the gods, and he willed Set to be brought back to Iunu and take his intended place as High Priest, second only to him.

It had been so close. The orders had gone through, a handful of his best escorts sent and dispatched to give Set the good news and to bring him back where he rightfully belonged, but it had been all for naught.

His cousin, his beloved friend… he would never be able to see him again and tell him that he was sorry.

So immersed in sorrow, the mourning king failed to notice anyone else in the throne room with him.

Iset stared sadly at the king, her own thoughts unspoken, and she left her king to mourn for a lost friend and cousin.

* * *

\There it is!\

Set looked ahead to where the boy was pointing and saw in the distance what looked to be a bustling city.

So they had finally arrived at Henen'nesut, after two more days on foot. He could finally dispatch a messenger to Iunu and even look for a carriage to take them all the way to the King's Palace.

_Them._

That was what it was now. He would find a carriage to take the _both_ of them to Iunu. He didn't think the other boy would be averse to staying with him from now on, and he would make sure the other would always be provided for in his temple.

He thoughtfully turned to stare at the boy at his side and felt his chest warm at the thought.

Ever since his confession two days ago, he had learned a lot more about his nameless savior. They had finally opened up to each other completely, sharing their past, their secrets, and their hopes.

It had been liberating, in a sense. He no longer felt like he had to hold all his burdens inside.

He had found himself spilling out everything about him, like an uncontrollable fountain—he had told the boy about his life in the palace as a child, his mother, his brother, their banishment to the Red Sands, how everything had went wrong, his cowardly father, Atem, and everything he wanted to do in the future. He really couldn't stop until everything was out.

The other boy had just held his hand comfortingly the entire time, lending a listening and compassionate ear while stroking his hands at the parts that were still particularly painful to him.

And after all was said and done, the other had hugged him and said that it was alright. Because he was who he was, and those hardships only made him into what he was today. And he felt lighter because of that.

In return, the other boy, who had no past to tell, had shed his hat as an equivalent offering, lowering his head in shame all the while waiting for his judgment.

Set had been astonished, but now that he thought about it, he shouldn't have been. He knew the other boy was different from their very first meeting, after all, but he still didn't expect to see a tousled head of golden hair, like finely spun gold thread.

There was nothing ugly about it at all. In fact, it was perfect. And no other hair color fit the other more than the color of their most precious metal in _Kemet [10]_. Gold, the color of the gods. Everything about him was priceless.

He impetuously grasped the other boy's hand, looking straight ahead at the city of Henen'nesut before them. The other boy looked a little surprised at first but smiled brightly after, gripping his hand firmly in return.

Set could feel his body parts betraying him as his lips quirked itself upwards into a small smile.

The other boy just beamed all the brighter at him, and everything was alright in the world at that moment.

* * *

"Are you alright?" Set asked in concern while he supported his companion as they stood just outside the city gates.

The nameless boy had started feeling sick the closer they got to the Henen'nesut. But now that they were pretty much almost inside, he felt like he was about to keel over.

He had been telling the truth when he told Set that he had seen Iunu before, but he had conveniently left out that he had never entered the great city itself. It wasn't because he didn't want to, it was because he couldn't.

For whatever reason unknown, he was not able to even get close to the Holy City without feeling like he would die. He really didn't think he would have the same reaction to Henen'nesut though.

He never told Set this, however, as he knew the other was looking forward to contacting the King and returning to civilization.

Which was why he was bearing the pain as they walked closer and closer to the city.

They slowly reached the main gates of the city, the boy panting and sweating profusely from the pain he was feeling inside him.

The guards of the city looked on them suspiciously, intending to stop them from going through the city gates, but Set just flashed the gold insignia ring on his finger that he had kept on his person, even in near-death, glaring at them in arrogance. They backed away instantly, recognizing the symbol of the King.

Standing upright and looking down at the guards like he owned the whole city, Set demanded, "I am the King's Priest from Iunu. There is an emergency, and I must send a message to the King at once."

The guards hesitated, looking at each other. All priests were to be treated with utmost respect due to their association with the gods but the king's own priests? They were to be doubly respected, yet this young upstart hardly looked like he fit the title with his less than immaculate robes and dirtied appearance. True, his robes looked like it had originally been for someone in a high position, but still…

Set didn't give them anymore time to think it over as he barked out, "I will _not _tolerate insolence. Get a messenger now and I will see to it that you will be rewarded by the king."

Those words immediately got the guards bustling about, looking for a traveling carriage to take a message back to Iunu.

Meanwhile, the nameless boy was thinking to himself through his pain.

He had hoped Henen'nesut would be different from Iunu, being a different city, and although the pain he felt at Iunu had been twice as bad, the pain he was feeling now was still enough to make him feel like he wanted to throw up.

He couldn't even walk upright without the assistance of Set, who was currently looking at him in utmost concern as the guards in the background bustled about.

He tried to smile, but it turned out to be more of a grimace. If he could only go back a few steps.

"What's happening to you? What's causing your pain?" Set asked him, his tone of voice low enough that the guards nearby would not overhear.

He knew he would have to tell the truth, and he felt disappointed in himself for not being able to even walk into any city.

\I didn't tell you before because you were looking forward to reaching the city so much, but the closer I am to Henen'nesut, the more pain I feel,\ he managed to explain.

Set's eyes widened as he immediately and instinctively started moving them backwards, away from the city entrance. He barked at the guards closest to him to follow him, which they reluctantly did, and made orders that they report to him from outside the city.

"Why didn't you just tell me? We could have done something about it!" he whispered fiercely in the boy's ears.

The boy just groaned as his whole body was jostled about by their quick pace. \I'm sorry,\ he gasped in pain.

Set's mind was once again working overtime as he tried to wrap his brain around the boy's circumstances.

His companion had been cursed from the looks of it. He knew there were spells and curses that were used by the king's magicians that could be used to prevent an enemy from entering the city. But if this boy had been cursed, then that must have meant…

_No_, he told himself. The boy was not capable of anything bad. For Ra's sake, he even avoided killing animals unless he had to.

But then again, the boy had been in the middle of the Red Sands alone and left to die, and then he had woken up with no memories about himself. He also looked like a foreigner, had somehow acquired an Eye of Heru separate from the Millennium Items, had a strange ability to befriend animals, talk into people's minds, and had an unusual empathic capacity.

It wasn't very strange after all that he could have been cursed at some point of his young life.

But now the question was– who had he been in the past? Had he been a criminal?

Most petty and common criminals were either killed, imprisoned, or banished from the cities, but that didn't warrant them getting spells or curses put on them. Most people didn't even have the potential to wield such powerful magic or to even cast such complicated spells. It was also a waste of resources and tremendously taxing for the magic user, not to mention it took a lot of time and effort to keep the spell up for long durations.

Which meant that whoever had put the curse on his nameless companion must have been an extremely powerful magic user and that the boy was someone far more dangerous than a common criminal.

Set shook his head in denial. This boy he had formed such a close relationship with was completely innocent. Nothing about him was dangerous, and he even cried for a village that he had never even heard of before. How could someone like that ever be a criminal? It was outright preposterous, and Set refused to believe it.

But the fact he was still somehow cursed was not a mere delusion. He wondered if he were cursed from all cities or just Henen'nesut. He found himself desperately wishing it was only Henen'nesut.

"Let's just get you further away from the city for now," he reassured his companion. "I've told the guards to just report to us outside rather than inside the city."

The two guards that had followed them out were trailing rather grudgingly, but Set didn't really care about that. As long as they did what he had told them to do, he could care less about anything else. He just needed to get his companion far enough that his pain would stop.

Eventually, they reached a safe distance where the boy could safely breathe again without feeling like he was being split apart from the inside, and the guards stood awkwardly apart from them, looking back to the city they had just left with longing.

Ignoring their presence, Set kneeled next to his companion, who had fallen to the ground in relief.

"You're cursed," he bluntly announced without really thinking.

The boy just gulped and shamefully looked away. \I don't know why,\ he whispered.

He cursed his own thoughtlessness and corrected himself, touching a gentle hand to the boy's fur-covered brow.

"It's not your fault. It's not like you remember. But we have to find a way to break the curse that was somehow put on you."

The boy looked wistfully up at him.

\How?\

"If I can get to Iunu and get to the Great Library, I can find a spell that can reverse or break the curse once and for all. They have the largest collection of spells and counter-spells that have been written by the most capable and strongest sorcerers in Kemet's history."

In response, the boy silently moved closer towards him so that they were sitting side by side with their shoulders touching.

Together, they looked towards the city of Henen'nesut once again, wishes and hopes in their heart.

* * *

"A messenger has been dispatched ahead of you to the king, one of _Hery'shaf [7]_ and Atum-Ra's finest messengers," the leader of the guards boasted.

"Whatever. As long as they get there and deliver their message," Set replied haughtily, his tone of voice completely different from the one he used with his companion.

The guard frowned disparagingly, but replied, "Your carriage will be over shortly to pick you up and to take you to Iunu. You should arrive at_ Ineb Hedj [11]_ in less than a week's time, and from there, it will be less than a day's travel to Iunu."

"Do we have enough resources for our trip? And what of the security?" Set asked. Just in case his benefactors were more incompetent than he thought. He didn't want to be taking any more chances. He wanted to get to Iunu quickly without anymore interruptions so he could assume his title and work on finding a counter-spell to his companion's curse.

The guard had the gall to look affronted, not knowing he was talking to the future High Priest of the King of Kemet, second in power.

"Of course we have the finest guards to accompany you on your journey. The supplies we've provided will be more than adequate for your short trip, _wabu [9]_."

"Very well. May Atum-Ra bless you," Set responded absently.

The guard bowed slightly before returning to his post.

His traveling companion looked at him in slight amusement.

"What is it?" he asked. That mischievous expression did not bode well.

The boy giggled silently into his sleeves. \It's just that you're completely different when you are addressing them.\

"Hn, consider yourself an exception. Plus, they just won't get it if you don't put some aggression or force into your tone."

\I feel so loved,\ the boy murmured in his mind as he tucked his arm into the bend of Set's arm.

Set kept his face straight, looking directly into the golden eyes of his companion.

"You are. So now just be quiet and wait with me."

His serious tone and his blunt words had the effect he desired as the boy blushed a crimson red that looked all the redder on his peach-colored skin.

Set hid a smile at that.

* * *

"I have a message directed to the Hetep di nisu! An urgent message to the King!" A messenger scurried his way in front of a handful of guards stationed at the King's palace in Iunu.

"Who is it from and what is the message?" asked the leader of the guards.

"He said he was _Netcher Mesut, Sekhem Neteru, Seti Tutmesut [12],_ and he has a message to the King himself."

"I've never heard that name," the guard responded, already directing his attention back to dozing off.

"He said he is a priest to the King's own temple," the messenger continued relentlessly. "He'll curse me to _Isfet_ if I don't give the message to the king, so please, let me give my message!"

"I did not hear of any of the king's priests making a journey outside of the temple recently. I must notify and confirm with the King's council first," the guard said before he directed one of his men to go inside and notify one of the King's ruling council.

The messenger impatiently waited for nearly twenty minutes before the guard came back, a little shakily, with a man dressed in white and gold in tow.

All the guards gasped, lowering their heads quickly in submission. The messenger got the point and bowed as well, eyes widened in awe and fear as the King's Advisor himself stood in front of his eyes.

Mahaado had been attending his daily duties in the temple until a palace guard had interrupted him with a message from outside the palace walls.

He could not believe it. A message from Set?

Atem had told him months ago that Set had died on his journey here, as seen in a vision by Iset. He had been shocked and saddened to hear it, and both of them had mourned for the boy that they had known in their childhood.

The King had demanded a formal burial ceremony for Set among his priests, conducting _The Opening of the Mouth [13] ceremony_ even though they did not even have his body to mummify. Instead, the sarcophagus that was built and lavishly designed was left empty save for the _Book of the Dead and the burial goods [14]_ that were necessary for the recipient to use every day in the afterlife. The King had given up his own precious everyday objects, numerous bowls and cups made from gold, food from the King's own table, and even some of the King's own jewelry.

Although this had many of the lower priests astounded by the king's generosity, none of them apart from Mahaado and a few others knew just how important Set was to Atem. They had been almost like brothers. True, they had been rivals as well, but they didn't have many friends their own age, being royalty.

But now, a message from Seti Tutmesut? Could it be that Set was alive after all? Or was it all a fraud? But no one else knew Set's full given name aside from his close friends…

And that is what found Maahado standing at the entrance to the King's Palace, looking down at an awed messenger who looked like he was about to faint from excitement.

"Tell me. You say you have a message from Seti Tutmesut," Mahaado ordered calmly, but his heart was beating wildly in his chest.

"Y-Yes, my lord! The message is from someone called Seti Tutmesut who wishes to deliver a direct message to the King!"

"Where was the message sent from and what does it say?"

"He sent the message from Henen'nesut a fortnight ago." The messenger didn't waste any time to exaggerate his own capabilities. "I have traveled as quickly as I could so I could deliver this urgent message, my lord."

Mahaado just ignored the latter part of his words. "And the message?"

"Yes!" Here, he took out a small papyrus scroll and read, "It is: Atem, I am alive somehow, and well. We were attacked by a hostile band of robbers and criminals, but I managed to survive. However, your escorts did not. A wandering nomad found me and nursed me back to health, and we have slowly made progress towards the direction of Iunu. It was difficult and arduous, but we eventually reached Henen'nesut. We have rented a carriage the rest of the way to Iunu, billed to the palace. Hopefully we will arrive in less than fortnight's time after you have received this message. Next time, please send an army for me, not mere incompetent escorts. –Set."

Mahaado almost laughed outright at the last part of the message but maintained his expressionless face out of sheer will alone. It was Set alright, with his acerbic wit still intact. Only Set would dare talk like that to the King.

He immediately reached his arm out, waiting for the messenger to roll the scroll back to give him.

"Very good," he nodded as the scroll was deposited in his safe keeping. "You will see to it that no one else be relayed this message. Understood?" he looked intently at the messenger who nodded back eagerly.

Satisfied, he continued, "I will see to it that the king is notified of your honorable actions. For your services, of course, we will provide you room and board as well as any luxuries you need at Iunu's finest inn. Now if you will excuse me, I'll arrange one of the guards to lead you on your way."

Turning quickly around, he walked calmly and slowly away with the gazes of the guards and the messenger still on him. Immediately after turning the corner and away from the prying eyes of spectators, he rushed as quickly as he could to the king's private chambers.

He found the king sitting at his table, eyes seemingly intent on studying the large scroll in front of him. But his legs were swinging listlessly back and forth.

Mahaado walked through the chamber hallway, eager to present his message.

"My king!" he announced.

Atem looked up, surprised, and his expression brightened at Mahaado's entrance.

"Mahaado! What brings you in here? You don't usually come in here unless I force you!" Atem joked teasingly.

"My king, a message- I have a message for you!" Mahaado exclaimed, slightly breathless.

"Oh…? It must be important. For you to come here yourself… Well? What is this message?" Atem asked, genuinely curious now that his advisor and childhood friend came all the way to deliver a message to him personally.

Mahaado took a deep breath.

"It's from Set."

Atem immediately stood up from his chair, completely stunned. The chair he was sitting on tipped over and crashed to the ground.

"What did you say?" he asked softly.

"It's from Set. The message," Mahaado repeated.

"It can't be… Iset's vision… he is dead," the king replied dully.

"He is alive despite Iset's vision," Mahaado argued.

"How do you know this message is from Set? It could be a hoax. Designed to deceive me," the king asked, though the flame of hope reignited in his crimson eyes gave him away.

"I know it's Set. This message is from _Netcher Mesut, Sekhem Neteru, Seti Tutmesut. _And we both know his given name is no longer known among anyone but by only a few. And we are two of them. He did this intentionally. He has always been clever, even as a boy. This is him. He is definitely alive."

"Tell me," the king commanded unnecessarily.

Mahaado brought out the papyrus scroll that contained the message, opening it up carefully and read from it, all the while paying attention to Atem's face as he did so.

The transition of Atem's facial expressions would have been comical if this hadn't been such a serious matter. But at the last part, the king burst out laughing, eyes brimming with joyful tears.

Mahaado smiled as his king laughed until he couldn't keep himself upright. He was now on the ground laughing hysterically. It had been a long time since he had seen Atem laugh genuinely.

He helped the king up from the ground and passed the scroll to the other.

"Look," he pointed to the symbols on the scroll, "Set didn't even trust anyone else to write his message for him. His penmanship is the still the same as when were children, perfect, but distinctly his style. No one could imitate this. And no one else would dare talk like he does in front of you."

The king smiled tremulously, wiping a few stray drops of happy tears.

He looked at Mahaado, voice shaking slightly from sheer emotion.

"Mahaado," he whispered.

"Yes, my King."

"It's Atem at this moment," the king corrected. "Mahaado."

"Yes, Atem."

"Set is alive."

Yes, Atem. He is alive and still the Set we know."

"Mahaado."

"Yes, Atem."

"Prepare a celebration like never before. For the Rebirth and the Return of the Hem Netjer of the King of Kemet!"

"As you wish, Atem, my friend and my king."

**End of Chapter 4.**

* * *

**Footnotes:**

Sorry, I will not be renewing some of the footnotes from the past chapters, so if there is a term you are still unfamiliar with, please go back to the previous chapters for the footnotes! Thank you!

**[1]** Hetep di nisu: the formal title for the king or the Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt. The word "pharaoh" was not used by the Egyptians until 1450 BC.

**[2]** Nisu: short for the above.

**[3]** Re-Harakhti is a combination of Ra and Heru.

**[4]** Ma'at : the Ancient Egyptian goddess of truth, balance, law, and order.

**[5]** Lapis lazuli: a precious rock that was found predominantly in Ancient Egypt. It was used to make scarabs, ornaments, and amulets in ancient Egyptian times, and the powdered form was even used as ancient day eyeshadow.

**[6]** Asar: The Egyptian name for Osiris, the god of the afterlife, the dead, and the underworld. He is the brother of Sutekh, Aset, and Nebt'het, as well as the husband of Aset. He is also the father of Heru, who is the falcon god of the wind and sky. Asar was supposedly murdered by a jealous Sutekh and then brought back to life by Aset for a short time so that she could conceive Heru. He then went back the land of the dead and became the god of the afterlife.

**[7]** Hery'shaf: The Egyptian ram-god of strength. The city of Henen'nesut had a Hery'shaf-centered cult with temples dedicated to him. So aside from Atum-Ra, who was the current King's patron god, they worshipped Hery'shaf as well in their local temples.

**[8]** Atum-Ra: combination of Atum and Ra, the creator/sun god. This is the patron god of Atem and heavily worshipped in Iunu (Heliopolis).

**[9]** Wabu: a lower-class/ranked priest. It means "pure one."

**[10]** Kemet: Egyptian name for Egypt. "Egypt" was created by the Greeks.

**[11] **Ineb Hedj: The Egyptian name for the city of Memphis which means "White Walls". Ineb Hedj was located on the westside of the Nile Delta, while Heliopolis was situated at the apex of the Nile Delta. Henen'nesut, also known as Herakleopolis, is located further south, along the west of the Nile but is still located within Lower Egypt.

**[12]** Set's full name. _Please see Chapter 2 Footnotes._

**[13]** The Opening of the Mouth ceremony: The ancient people believed that after mummification, the Opening of the Mouth ceremony needed to be conducted by a priest in order to reanimate the mummy in the afterlife, including his speaking capabilities.

**[14]** The Book of the Dead was known as a funerary text which was buried with the mummy in a sarcophagus. It supposedly contains spells and instructions to help the recipient find his way in the afterlife. Many every day goods were also buried with the body, so they could be used in the afterlife, such as bowls, cups, etc. The richer and higher in status you were, the more extravagant the goods. Here, Atem donated his own ware to Set's burial, which is pretty much unheard of. Jewelry and amulets were also included extensively in the burial coffin.


	5. Crimson Thread of Fate

**Author's Notes:**

_Please, please, please read and review!_ I would greatly appreciate it! The story is unbeta-ed. Excuse the minor grammar and spelling errors please!

Once again, footnotes are at the bottom of each chapter. Previous terms are explained in past chapters. This story is set in Ancient Egypt and will contain fictional events and Egyptian mythology. AU.

I also need to clarify that this is my own interpretation of Kaiba and Jounouchi's Ancient Egyptian counterparts. They were meant to be OOC (either slightly or a lot) as compared to their Japanese counterparts due to differences in their social upbringings, the different environment and customs in which they were brought up in, as well as the specific emotional traumas they've faced. Please take all that into consideration! Thank you!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yugioh or its characters. Ashai, Khai, Bahiti, and Tumaini belong to me though. If you've read this far, you've already been introduced to Khai, but you've also seen glimpses of Ashai and Bahiti. Can you guess? XD Kudos to you if you guess right.

Also, thanks to _Miyo Yukimura, ToodleDoodles, Blue Lagoon Loon, _and_ Kiriko-sama_ for your thoughtful reviews. Please continue to support this story!

" " Speaking out loud  
\ \ Speaking telepathically

* * *

**Harbinger of Calamity  
Chapter 5 – Crimson Thread of Fate**

The carriage that was taking them to _Ineb Hedj_ was a tight squeeze for two people. Apparently, the guards had arranged a one-man carriage without considering Set's companion. Set had wanted to go back and demand a bigger one, but the nameless boy had just grabbed his hand and told him that he didn't mind sitting so close to Set anyway. Set had incurably tried to stop the flush from spreading to his cheeks, but the boy had just laughed, clinging tighter to his arm.

So they were on their way to Ineb Hedj in a carriage designed for one person enjoying a nice ride for once rather than having to walk. They had both taken turns sleeping for short periods, one person always awake to keep an eye out for anything that could go wrong.

Set was extremely paranoid now about being stuck in a carriage or a litter. Let's just say his previous experience had been hardly enlightening and one that he didn't want to experience ever again. Getting stabbed by a rusty knife and nearly dying from blood loss and pain could have had something to do with it.

And although the other boy tried to distract him, that didn't stop Set from continuously looking out of the carriage window to check for anything out of the ordinary.

But now they were both ensconced and quiet. The boy was taking a nap, his head using Set's broad shoulders as a pillow.

The sleeping boy's soft breathing and the steady pulse in his mind lulled Set into a state of calmness, putting him in a meditative state. This left Set in silence to contemplate many of the things that had happened throughout his time in the Red Sands.

It was fascinating, he thought to himself. He could detect the comfortable and quiet presence of his companion's psyche within the recesses of his mind, like a steady pulse. It had come to the point where he was able to detect certain nuances of the other boy's presence in his mind due to their connection. For example, when the other was deep in sleep, like now, the connection would pulse slowly and methodically, like that of a resting heart. When the other was excited, the pulse would beat faster. There were many others in between that he was now able to recognize- such as when the boy was unconscious or disappointed, or when he was scared or angry.

In other words, their connection was pretty amazing. He didn't think mere communication bonds could be so complicated and wondered if the other boy could detect all those subtle emotions with him as well.

Which brought him back to the other's seemingly extraordinary skills. Being able to feel things normal people could not, being able to get along with animals, and somehow possessing an Eye of Heru with its own powerful magic.

Though he had not voiced it to the other boy yet, the fact that he was able to forge a bond with him so easily without any magical implements whatsoever meant the boy's potential for wielding _heka [1]_ was way beyond anyone else he'd heard, seen, or read of before.

When he was still a child living in the palace at Iunu, his mother had taught him that every single person was born with a little magic inside of them. Well, not so much as magic but rather the _heka_, the components and the building blocks that could be manipulated by those who had the ability to use it.

But in order to use _heka_, one had to be able to see heka, and that's where it became imperative—only about one out of a thousand were born with the talent to see _heka_. And even among those who were able to see heka, only another one out of hundred could effectively use it.

Those few people were then assimilated into Kemet's nobility as a means to gather as much talent into one place. Giving the prospective magically talented child a title and ensuring his family's place in the nobility, especially if his family was poor to begin with, would ensure that child's loyalty to Kemet's nobility for the rest of his life- it was an effective and ingenious way to build up allegiance.

As it was, most people couldn't see _heka_, and those who did didn't usually see it until they hit puberty, the typical time their ability became active.

But Set had been able to see _heka _ever since he was born thanks to his mother's strong magic bloodline. Which wasn't necessarily to his advantage if he thought about it. Since he had become so accustomed to it, _heka _blended in almost effortlessly into everything, and overtime he became _"habituated" [2]_ to it.

It was like wearing your robes. Once you get used to the feeling of your robes against your skin initially, you eventually become unaware of the robe's stimulus against your skin.

Which is what it was like for him with _heka_. If he reminded himself to pay particular attention, he could see _heka _clearly. But if he was absently looking around, his eyes would pass through the _heka _as if it were nothing.

_Heka _appeared as animate wispy transparent threads of color that intertwined and flowed around each other like a stream. There were many different types of _heka _spanning a whole color spectrum- because that was how they were distinguished- through their wavelength and color, their thickness and shape, and their flexibility and fluidity.

Everyone was born with a set amount of each color of _heka _inside them.

Depending on one's sensitivity to the different types, a potential magician would be trained according to what they had an affinity for.

He remembered the grueling _heka _training sessions with Atem and Mahaado, both who had acquired their "_heka _vision" at puberty. Their teacher had been a strict and no-nonsense priest who drilled them extensively through _heka _theory and concept, ritual training, formation of implements and aids, and safety measures for years before he would even let them physically apply it.

But eventually he had allowed them to start practicing, letting them determine which heka they were naturally inclined towards. While Mahaado only had a limited talent for manipulating _heka_'s ability to heal, Atem had a particular affinity for heka's uses in attack and shadow manipulation.

But this boy…. his golden-haired companion…

It had taken _heka _to empathetically feel the memories of Kul Elna's ruins, and it had taken the use of _heka _to form a powerful and self-developing telepathic connection with him. He had seen the dull orange threads of _heka _flowing and enveloping the unconscious boy when he had somehow unconsciously empathetically reached out to the ruins, and he could now in hindsight remember the boy manipulating _heka _when he had first forged their complex bond.

What confused him was the boy's ability to use _heka _even without knowing the concept of it all—And to be able to cast such a complex bonding spell between them with no recollection whatsoever of his past memories…

Not many people could manipulate and control _heka_, and those who did, besides the initial potential they must have, needed to be trained extensively and laboriously for years before they could even cast a minor spell.

The sheer power the nameless boy had used unknowingly when he casted the strong bonding spell would have usually taken a complex full-fledged ritual with hundreds of magical implements and talismans to magnify and aid the one casting. And even then, the chance of the spell ending in failure or even backfiring was extremely high.

But the quick and almost effortless way he had done it was unbelievable and would have been almost impossible for any other heka user.

There was no one like the boy next to him. He was sure of that.

An unaccustomed smile appeared on Set's face as he watched the other boy sleep.

He was pretty amazing, completely different from the people in his childhood who had catered to him only because he was royalty, who spoke pretty and superfluous words to him for their own gain. They were just as quick to turn their backs to him when he fell from the gods' graces.

But this boy saw him for who he was. Not a king, not a priest, not any kind of royalty or nobility. He was neither a boy abandoned by the gods nor a man who had been turned away from his own home. He was just Set, that's all—Set, who was not to be pitied for his hardships and suffering; Set who did not care about other people's opinions about him-

He was Set who now believed in his own ability to create his own destiny—to form his own fate. No gods had that right or that power to determine his fate for him anymore. Forget the gods and their loftiness. He bowed to no one.

He would do what he wanted, when he wanted, and all just because he wanted to.

_For the boy._

The future was his for the taking, and he was going for it at all costs.

To change his fate. To determine his own destiny ….

_This boy-_

His destiny, his destiny, _his destiny_…

* * *

"_Kheper'shaye_."

\Wha-?\

"Kheper'shaye... It means 'to form or create your own destiny.' That's the most perfect one."

\Set, what are you talking about?\

The boy was awake now, rubbing his eyes and then looking at him in confusion.

The auburn-haired man shook his head nervously.

"It's-it's just that I've been thinking about this for a while now," he tried to explain, nervous now that he had gone ahead and just blurted it out.

\Thinking about what?\ the boy questioned in his mind.

"Ever since I've come to know you, I've been unconsciously thinking of one for you," he clarified.

\What?\ the boy asked completely baffled.

"The perfect name that will fit you and you alone… _Kheper'shaye [3]_ … It's a beautiful name, and it fits you perfectly, and you were the one who opened my eyes, and we don't have to care about what others think or what the gods think so long as we make it what we want it to be. We both have to look for-"

\Seti.\

That stopped Set short.

\Seti,\ the boy repeated in his mind again.

Silence.

Apparently, the boy wasn't going to say anything else.

"Yes?" Set ventured, extremely apprehensive now. Maybe he didn't like it as much as he thought he would. That was no problem, he would just think of another one, even if it was less perfect. But if it was less perfect, how would it fit perfectly? What was he-

\Seti,\ the boy said again, unintentionally interrupting his frenzied thoughts. \I think you need to fulfill your part of the promise soon.\

Set froze. _What?_

"W-what?"

\Because I'm going to start crying from happy tears any time now, and you better cry with me so it won't be as embarrassing.\

The boy was trembling from pure emotion, watery eyes locked onto Set's blue ones.

At that moment, Set knew everything was alright, and he felt his own body trembling along with the boy's from sheer relief.

He clutched the younger boy close, dropping his head onto the other's shoulder, breathing in the scent of his skin, completely relieved.

"You're so silly," he said into the boy's hair, "I won't cry with you, but I'll just hold you like this so it won't be embarrassing. See? No one will see you at all. Cry all you want, as long as they're tears of joy. I have nothing against that. Shaye… my _shaye [4]_… Kheper'shaye…" he breathed.

The boy shivered at Set's low voice saying his new name and clutched tighter to other's robes. He could not stop the tears of joy leaking from his eyes and laughed at his own vulnerability as he just dug his face into Set's chest.

He had not known what he was missing until he had met Set.

When he woke up, he had felt nothing other than a will to live. Other than his memories, he hadn't felt like he was lacking anything. Not having a name wasn't an issue since there wasn't anyone to address him by it anyway. And it wasn't like he was always alone. He had met important friends along the way- Ashai and Khai and the rest. He hadn't been sad, but at the same time, he had never felt like crying from joy either. It was an existence that just was. There were lonely and frustrating times, and there were happy and laughing moments with his friends-

But he realized what a sad existence it was compared to the indescribable happiness he felt now. And he knew now that his unconscious will to live in the beginning was because he had been waiting- waiting for Set. That he was sure of.

And he didn't think he could go back to how it was like before ever again.

He was a somebody now. Just like everyone else, he had a name and because of that, he had worth. And he would do everything he could to stay at Set's side, even if he had to leave all he had ever known in the Red Sands.

* * *

\Set.\

Set turned to face Kheper'shaye. It was extremely easy to start thinking of the boy by that name.

\Seti, what are we going to do when we get to Iunu?\ Kheper'shaye only addressed him as "Seti" when he was serious or wanted to catch his attention.

Set sighed, having conflicting feelings about their upcoming arrival to Iunu. Despite feeling betrayed by Atem, he still wanted to see him and was looking forward to going back to the city he had grown up in. Getting to see Mahaado again wouldn't be bad also. But he did not look forward to seeing his biological father, who he was sure was still part of the council.

Of course, he did not consider that man as his father any longer, and he could care less what happened to him, but he wondered if the rest of the council knew about their related past or if everything had been erased and hushed up by the current King. No doubt they'd have problems with him filling a position they were all vying for.

But he was hardly concerned about that. Atem's words were final, and despite anyone's complaints, no one could go against the King's word.

The most important reason for his lack of enthusiasm was, of course, his reluctance to leave Shaye, even if it was temporary. He had already prepared in his mind the specific actions he would take once he arrived at Iunu.

He would greet Atem and Mahaado as was appropriate and then immediately send for the most capable guards and provisions to Kheper'shaye, who would have to stay out of the city for now. He hated the thought of having to rely on guards to protect what was important to him, but he could think of no better alternatives. Then he would perform the ceremony for the induction of the Hem-Netjer and commence to the Great Library archives to look for a counter-spell for Shaye's curse.

All that, he had calculated, should take no more than a week if he was quick about it. He just needed to hurry the procedures which would be no problem for him.

"As much as I dislike it, we'll have to separate," Set responded, grimacing at the thought. He wondered how far their heka-induced connection could reach now that they had been bonded for so long.

Kheper'shaye immediately froze up, eyes wide.

Set could feel the other boy's telepathic pulse inside his mind speed up erratically.

\Separate?\

"Temporarily, of course," Set was quick to explain, trying to dispel the other's fears. "You aren't able to go into the Iunu due to the curse that's been put on you, so I will have to go in and find a counter-spell for it. It will most likely take a week. I will make sure you're completely guarded and that you will have the best provisions I can send out, so you won't be in want of anything."

\Th-then... maybe I can try to go in with you... I don't care if it's painful,\ the boy pleaded.

Set shook his head resolutely. "No, I don't want you to get hurt. Powerful curses, if activated, could kill a person who's trying to fight it. And even if it doesn't kill you, it could have lasting repercussions. I won't take that chance with you."

\B-but… you won't be there,\ the boy whispered as he looked despondently down at his lap, \and that's the only thing I want.\

Set reached to grasp the boy's chin with his fingers, forcing the other boy to look at him.

Kheper'shaye attempted to keep his eyes focused on anything but the face in front of him, but he did not fight Set's hold on him.

"Please, look at me," Set said, half pleading and half commanding, and fixed both hands on each side of the boy's pale cheeks.

Kheper'shaye's eyes finally turned to him in capitulation, recognizing the desperation in his voice.

"I would never willingly separate from you, please understand that," Set said steadfastly, "We must go through this now so we don't have to go through this ever again. Do you understand?"

The boy nodded sadly.

The pulse slowed slightly.

"And look, we still have the connection you've put up from the beginning. We'll just have to stretch the connection range even further so we can still communicate to each other in some way," Set added in hopes to cheer up his companion. "We have to work on that, don't we?"

The boy raised his hands to cover Set's hands over his cheeks as he closed his eyes and nodded. But Set could still feel the erratically beating pulse inside his head.

"It will be over before we both know it," he continued, not sure who he was consoling now, Kheper'shaye or himself. Maybe it was for them both.

"And then we'll both live in the Temple and we can just live for _us_, and no one else. You'll be Kheper'shaye, my priest. I can train you for it if you like. How does that sound? And you'll have a new robe, any color you like. And you won't need to cover your hair anymore because I won't let anyone else inside the temple unless you want me to, and I can finally teach you how to use heka and we…"

And as Set continued to uncharacteristically ramble on, he could feel the other's presence in his mind calm down just as he knew he was calming down himself. He had never talked so much in his life, but this had been necessary for them both.

Everything would be alright, he told himself unwaveringly.

They would both make it so.

* * *

The preparations for the Set's welcoming celebration had been completed a week ago and all his council had been notified, but the King was restless.

"He has not arrived yet?"

"He will be here soon enough, _Nisu [5]_," Mahaado reassured. "It's only been a week and a half since his message. He said it would take a 'fortnight.'"

"But that was just an approximate time. It could be anytime now! It could be today. If his carriage had only been pulled by the palace horses, he would have been here by now," Atem complained.

"You know that would be improbable, my king. How would we get our horses to him? He is on his way anyway and we can't do anything about it."

"I know that… it's just… I still can't completely believe he's alive until I see him face to face and touch him."

"I understand, my king."

"And I still don't understand. Iset tried many times after that first time to establish a vision of Set's wellbeing, but she was unable to see anything all those times. This has never happened before. She's usually extremely successful in her attempts…"

"We are still looking into that. Iset herself is completely baffled in her inability to detect Set's whereabouts. She is still disappointed in herself for causing you unnecessary pain," Mahaado said softly.

The king sighed. "It's not her fault. There must be a reason for this. The Eye of Heru could not have failed. What I'm worried about now is Set's reaction to _Akhenaton [6]_. As much as he is a coward and however much I wish to replace him, he has a lot of clout with the older members of the council."

"He is also the former King's brother, in other words, your uncle," Mahaado replied rather rationally.

"I know that. You don't have to remind me of my less than stellar bloodline. And as much as it pains me to even look at that bastard, it would be too detrimental at this point to remove him from the council as well. Let's just hope he retires or dies soon. Maybe the Millennium Eye will choose a new carrier soon.

"As it is, the Rod has yet to choose anyone from this generation. I wonder how Set would take to it?" Mahaado wondered out loud.

"I sincerely hope the Millennium Rod will not choose him. You know what happened to the last possessor. He became insane from power." Atem shuddered at the thought. "The Rod's always been the one Item no one has a desire to possess because of it. Without a strong will, the carrier will be possessed by Heru's power, but in the end, due to being human, he will become insane. No mortal can handle the power Heru has imbued in the Rod. The only person known to possess it successfully was hundreds of years ago.

"Let us hope so. Set has always been a powerful heka user. Unlike you and I, he has always been able to see heka. And you know how the Rod takes to power."

"Well, we'll just have to keep the Rod away from him by all means then," the king asserted. "I don't want my Hem-Netjer back so soon only to go insane."

"Precautions have already been taken. The Rod's been locked and secured within the recesses of your family's tomb and treasury. It's also being guarded closely by Shada and his faithful followers.

The king nodded, satisfied with Mahaado's initiative. "You know me so well, Mahaado. What would I do without you?"

"It would be shameful if I didn't know you well considering I grew up with you and was trained extensively as a court advisor. If not you, I would have been Set's vizier, you know," his advisor remarked.

"Yeah yeah. You were always the mediator between us two," Atem acknowledged. "Hmph, if you're still blaming me for punching him that one time, I'll have you know he tripped me first! And he called me a midget! Can you believe that?"

"Both of you were wrong," Mahaado decided.

"Preposterous! I am the King! Therefore I am never wrong!"

"Right... but you were wrong a lot before you became king. Maybe it's a residual aftereffect," Mahaado noted sagely.

"Oh, quiet you! Just make sure everything's ready, and let me know _immediately_ when Set arrives!" Atem ordered petulantly.

Mahaado just smiled innocently. "Yes, my king."

* * *

An old man dressed in immaculate white robes stood inside his chamber thinking to himself.

He was broad-shouldered and tall, and although his prime was past him he still held himself regally and importantly. A golden Eye of Heru gleamed from one of his eye sockets.

So his son was alive after all.

Akhenaton had never been a patient man. But years of harboring unfulfilled plans and failed tactics had given him a new persistence he had never known until now.

Set, his first born, had always been his preferred son, hard-working, talented, and focused. His oldest son had been born gifted, both in magic and in intelligence. That was the single greatest accomplishment his young wife, _Shepset [8],_ had given him—a useful son full of potential. And because of that, she had been his favorite wife.

Young and full of life, Shepset had always looked a little strange, not because she was not beautiful but because her features had always been different from other women. She had been a foreign-looking beauty with burnished auburn hair and intense ice blue eyes that looked like they saw through everything. Rather than being short and plump like other Egyptian women, she had been tall and willowy. Her skin was paler than their tan-colored skin, and she held herself like a first-rate magician.

Those around her always disdained her but none had said anything due to her status. She had been a royal princess after all. But her father's line had supposedly been of foreign descent, resulting in her out worldly features.

She had also inherited a large magic potential, being able to manipulate heka to do her bidding with more ease than other sorcerers.

Akhenaton had always admired her secretly, desiring a son with her blood and talent, and when he had showed her the deference that others did not show her, she had become partial to him and had allowed him to woo her.

They had two sons together, Set and Maa'kheru, Set whom she had obstinately named despite his wishes. Set had inherited many of her physical traits, being tall, lean and blue-eyed. Maa'kheru had looked less like her, sporting dark eyes, a tanned face, and a stout figure.

But after giving birth to Set, she had altogether lost her power to control and see heka. Although she had been undoubtedly upset at the loss, she had looked at the situation positively, loving her son nonetheless and teaching him the ways of heka. But due to her non-existent powers, those who had been afraid of her now looked down in contempt at her, spreading rumors of her and her "bastard son" without her being able to do anything about it.

Akhenaton always looked on this situation as his biggest failure and regret. But at that time, he had been too prideful and had ignored the situation, believing it would eventually dissipate without interference.

He had never been so wrong.

Maa'kheru had been killed. His wife, he last heard, had died from heartbrokenness as an outcast. And his last son was an outcast exiled from the _Black Sands. [9]_

Which was why he had been joyous to hear the Nisu's proclamation to bring Set back as the Hem-Netjer. Although his original desire was for his son to become King, the fact that his son was coming back with his status and position restored meant a large list of future possibilities.

And then he had been informed of Set's death—killed by petty thieves and criminals while he had been on his way to Iunu.

That had been a pivotal moment in his life, for his last seed was gone.

But it was not to be. His son was alive, they had informed him, and he was on his way to Iunu at that very moment, days away from his coronation as Hem-Netjer.

Akhenaton understood he failed as a father, but even then, he hoped his son would eventually come to acknowledge and let him make it up to him. Then together they would make plans to rule all of Kemet.

* * *

Instead of going inside the city, they had stopped the carriage outside the city gates when Kheper'shaye started looking sick.

Set had reprimanded him for not telling him sooner but had soothingly rubbed his back as he heaved outside the litter.

He felt a little better as he felt Set's warm hands rub his back. Kheper'shaye knew that despite Set's insensitive words sometimes, he was still caring and just didn't express his feelings very well. He was fine with that. Set was Set, and he was endearing when he was awkward.

Set had even immediately sent several of the guards into town to pick up various herbs and _frankincense [7]_ for his pain.

Kheper'shaye couldn't help but smile at Set's affections for him, closing his eyes tiredly as he relished at the feeling of Set rubbing his back meticulously.

He immediately sat up when he felt something odd tingling inside him and turned around only to see a white stream of translucent threads flow from Set's fingers into his body.

\Set, what are you doing?\ he asked in Set's mind, feeling a lot better already.

Set replied, "You can do this too, you know. Probably far better than I can. It's called _heka_. You can see it, right?"

\You mean the white threads? Is that what it's called? _Heka_? I've always seen them. They're all over the place.\

"Yes. I'm channeling white _heka _into you to help with your pain. It speeds up your body's defense mechanism, which is why you're probably feeling a lot better now than before, right?"

\Yeah! I feel a lot better,\ Kheper'shaye exclaimed, smiling widely at Set.

"When you formed the communication bond with me…" Set started.

Kheper'shaye immediately understood.

\Oh! I just connected and exchanged some of the red thread that was inside me with the red thread inside you! It was easy!\ he replied proudly. \But sometimes it just won't stay in place! Thankfully, it stayed in place with you though!\ he replied happily.

Set raised an eyebrow in mixed surprise and amusement. Did he say "red?" Suddenly, the multiple pieces that had been floating around in his head fit together onto the puzzle and he _understood._

It seemed his companion was oblivious to what he had done. Still, although he didn't know it was called heka or what the red thread signified, he seemed to know some of the uses of heka.

"Easy? It's extremely difficult to control heka let alone tie them together, you know. How did you know to connect the red threads? Why not the blue ones?" he asked, curious of the boy's answer.

Kheper'shaye shrugged. \I just knew it had to be red. Is it really supposed to be difficult?\ he asked Set doubtfully.

"Yes, _heka _is very volatile and therefore they must be coaxed into conforming to what you want them to do. If you are too hasty, they will backfire or disperse on you. But you seem to have an affinity with them" the taller boy explained.

\I do? Wait, are you saying that it isn't normal? Why did you ask me if I saw it?\ the boy questioned worriedly.

"It's not a bad thing that you can see it. I can see it too, you know. Most people can't see it though. And even those who do see it, they won't be able to see the heka specifically inside people and animals, only the external ones floating outside. It's also very difficult for them to tell heka what to do. You are better at it then I am," Set smiled at him assuredly.

\So again, it's not something normal…\ Kheper'shaye mumbled in distress. \I was sure that it was normal, that other people could see it too. But I've only met Hondo [10], and I never asked him if he could see. I thought he could because he was fine with me trying to connect my thread with his.\

Set narrowed his eyes. "You've mentioned him before—Hondo. Who is he?" he asked sternly.

Kheper'shaye failed to notice his jealousy as he answered eagerly.

\Oh, he's a travelling merchant-in-training! He travels all over Kemet with his father and his tribe to sell their exotic wares!\ The boy grinned in remembrance and then pointed to the fur hat on his head. \He gave me this! He was the only person who was nice to me even though he saw my hair. The others made fun of me, but he told me it was a beautiful color. But he told me that even though he thought it was beautiful, others may not think the same way because it was different from theirs. So he gave me this hat and told me to wear it for protection.\

"I see…" Set muttered, a little jealous of Kheper'shaye's obvious fondness for the other man. "And you connected with him as well?" he asked, feeling unsettled at the thought that he wasn't the first or only person the blond boy had connected with.

\Ahh, no. That's why I said that it doesn't stay in place sometimes! The red threads refused to stay connected, so it didn't work with him. But I hope he knows that I'm grateful for his friendship. I hope I meet him again someday!\ the boy smiled wistfully.

Feeling relieved at that little detail, Set decided to stake his absolute claim now.

"Did you know that the more connections you form with people, the weaker they become? It's because everyone has a limited amount of red heka. Because the red heka takes its energy from the person, the more you have connected, the less energy you can expend on each. They could also break apart from the strain and you won't be able to establish a connection with them ever again. It wouldn't be like what we have now, a really strong and durable connection that can even be used when we're apart."

\Ehhh, really?\ Kheper'shaye exclaimed, completely unaware. \S-so… if I were to make another connection with someone else, the connection I have with you will become weaker and might eventually break?\

Set nodded sagaciously, the expression on his face was one of acquiescent forbearance. "But I would understand if you decided to make connections with other people. I'm not the best person to be connected strongly with after all."

Kheper'shaye looked horrified at his resigned expression.

\Ah no! That's okay. As long as I can connect strongly with Set, I won't need to connect with anyone else. I only want Set!\ the boy exclaimed fervently.

Inside, Set was smirking in victory, but externally he smiled gratefully at his companion. He extended his arms to the other boy, who eagerly rushed into them.

"I'm sure we can find another way for you to communicate with other people. Just save the red thread for me," he said in the boy's hair.

Kheper'shaye nodded ardently, completely unaware that he had inadvertently sealed their souls together by the crimson thread of fate.

**End of Chapter 5.  
**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Sorry, seems like Set still hasn't arrived in Iunu yet. I wanted one more chapter of him alone with Kheper'shaye. They really need it.

A glimpse of the past from Akhenaton's eyes. Poor deluded old man seems to have other plans for Set.

Isn't Atem and Mahaado's relationship so cute? I'm not sure if I want them to be, you know, "involved" with each other. So for now, they are just very close friends. :)

And Set—what a scheming, possessive guy (did he get this trait from his father? X_x;), but he does it so subtly, you wouldn't even know what hit you. I would be scared if I attracted his attention. _ Poor Kheper'shaye! Reverse psychology worked on him! ToT!

**Footnotes:**

**[1]** Heka: In this story, heka are the components or building blocks of spells or curses.

**[2]** Habituation: the psychological process in humans and animals in which there is a decrease in psychological and behavioral response to a stimulus after repeated exposure to that stimulus over a duration of time.

**[3]** Kheper'shaye: A combination of kheper which means "to create or form" and shaye (shai) which means "destiny."

**[4]** Shaye: short form or nickname of the above. It can also be spelled "shai" but shaye just looks better to me. Set sometimes calls him "Shaye" or "my shaye" which means "my destiny." Isn't that cute? XD; I give myself cavities sometimes.

**[5]** Nisu: short for Hetep di nisu, the formal title for the king or the Pharaoh in Ancient Egypt.

**[6]** Akhenaton: "He who works for Aton." In this story, he is Set's biological father who possesses the Millennium Eye. In the anime, his name is "Akunadin," but that doesn't mean anything, so I changed it.

**[7]** Frankincense: An Ancient Egyptian remedy for pain; used as a painkiller since it contains tetrahydrocannabinol.

**[8] **Shepset: Means "holy and noble one." Set's deceased mother and third wife of Akhenaton. Her lineage is unclear and mysterious on her father's side. She was a royal princess, which was why Set had been a candidate for kingship. In Egypt, the royal line is carried through mother's bloodline. We know Set got his blue eyes from her side of the family.

**[9]** Black Sands: As opposed to the Red Sands, the Black Sands was the fertile land that the gods blessed and where most of the population settled.

**[10]** Hondo: The name means "war." You can probably guess who he's supposed to be.


	6. Horizon of the Heavens

**Author's Notes:**

_Please, please, please __**review**__ and comment. _Let me know what you think and what you're expecting from this story! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. Even a simple "please hurry up with the next chapter installment!" would be appreciated!

The following chapter is unbeta-ed. Excuse the minor grammar and spelling errors please! If you find any major syntax or spelling errors, let me know!

Once again, footnotes are at the bottom of each chapter. Previous terms are explained in past chapters.

This story is set in Ancient Egypt and will contain fictional events and Egyptian mythology that _may_ be inaccurate. AU. This story also contains Kaiba/Jounouchi shipping. If that's not your cup of tea, feel free to read something else.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yugioh or its characters other than the mention of Shepsut (who's not even alive anymore) in this chapter.

Once again, thanks to ToodleDoodles for your review of the previous chapter. I was very encouraged by your comment. Please continue to support this story! :)

**" " Speaking out loud  
\ \ Speaking telepathically (only Kheper'shaye)  
**

* * *

**Harbinger of Calamity  
Chapter 6 – Horizon of the Heavens**

Their carriage rolled comfortably along the dirt-paved road. Their hired escorts had informed them that they would take the main road from Ineb Hedj that led directly to the sister city of Iunu, which would take about a day's travel. Both Set and Kheper'shaye were fine with that; Set needed to get back as soon as he could anyway.

So there they were, both seated next to each other in comfortable silence. Kheper'shaye was absorbed in the act of studying Set's contemplative expression, while the other man had his eyes focused on the bright morning sky outside.

Kheper'shaye chanced a glance outside. It was a clear cloudless day as the sun rose towards its apex in the sky. He considered asking Set what he found so interesting about the sky but wanted to see whether Set would say something first.

"Do you know of the _Akhet net Pet [1]_?" Set suddenly asked out of the blue, still studying the sky.

Ah, there it was, the boy thought. \The Horizon of the Heavens?\ he asked in Set's mind. \Isn't that associated with the _Mandjet of Atum-Ra [2]_ rising above the mountains?\

"Hn. You were serious when you said you still somehow retained your knowledge about the gods," Set remarked, quite impressed. "That's what is being taught for the last several generations, but it's not quite what I meant."

\Then what do you mean?\ Kheper'shaye asked, still not quite sure what Set was getting at.

"You know I've studied extensively on the history of Kemet, don't you?" Set asked rhetorically.

The boy nodded. Set had told him from previous that he had always been interested in historical events and the stories of the gods.

"Well, part of studying history also involves the studying of the sky, stars, and the history of how Kemet came to be. Of course that involves the gods," Set explained. "When my mother was alive, she used to tell me past stories about the gods that somehow didn't match up with what I was taught in the palace. And that was what made me interested in researching Kemet's true history for myself. I didn't want to just be told something without questioning the validity of what they taught."

\You were such a precocious child, weren't you?\ Kheper'shaye teased, grinning as he pictured what Set could have been like as a small boy.

Set smiled slightly. That was what his mother always said to him.

"At any rate, history has a tendency to change over time and the truths that were once taught have a propensity to become twisted and modified," he elucidated. "It just all depends on the whims of those who are in power— whatever benefits them the most, I suppose. That's how it changes. The stories my mother told me as a child were contrary to that."

\So what does that have to do with _Akhet net Pet_?\ the boy asked, still confused.

"I was getting there," Set answered, slightly amused at the boy's eagerness to get back on track to their initial topic in question.

"To the majority of people, it is like you've said- it is the rising of the sun above the horizon. However, I have studied many ancient scripts that were written hundreds and even thousands of years ago by historians and priests. It is quite interesting, actually. Several of them have mentioned of an extremely rare occurrence that was quite unusual. Every several hundred years, the sun that is Atum-Ra disappears completely during the day, swallowed by darkness, leaving the day darkened and the stars visible."

Kheper'shaye widened his eyes in wonderment. \How can that be? Do they mean the _Mesektet [3]_ setting each day as it makes its _journey to Djuat? [3.5] _That happens every day!_\  
_

Set shook his head. "That's what it might seem like, but it just doesn't make sense to me. I am convinced that the priests hundreds of years ago meant it literally- the sun was darkened, whether it is by the _totality of Nun or Kek [4]_, I don't know yet. But a large portion of my time in exile was spent mapping out the next possible occurrence this phenomena will take place. And from what I've deduced according to the rises of _Sopdet and the stars [5]_, it should happen tomorrow afternoon."

Kheper'shaye couldn't believe it. \Are you saying the sun will be swallowed up in darkness? Will it last forever? Will we die?\ he asked, a little frightened at the prospect.

Set smirked slightly and grasped Kheper'shaye's hand in his.

"No, I don't think so. In any case, it will be a "once in a lifetime" experience. The last time it happened was four hundred years ago." He chuckled softly, "Apep [6] had always endeavored to swallow the Sun. But he never succeeded because Atum-Ra had someone with him that could drive Apep away without fail."

\Sutekh,\ the boy answered, smiling at the name and squeezing Set's hand knowingly.

Set nodded gently, "It was because Sutekh was powerful enough to drive him away every night. But then you have to wonder why this rare occurrence would happen then." The volume of his voice unconsciously swelled as he clutched Kheper'shaye's hands tighter, "They tell us that Sutekh became evil, and driven by his lust for power, killed Asar and blinded one of Heru's Eyes. Yet no one even questions why: Why did Sutekh suddenly want more power? He was already powerful enough and he was always defending Atum-Ra from the evil Apep. Why would he suddenly turn evil himself when he knew what true evil was? It just doesn't make sense."

Kheper'shaye's face contorted faintly as Set's hand squeezed his a little too forcefully. \Set, your hand…too tight,\ he winced.

For a moment, the other man looked blankly at the interruption but then turned to stare at their clasped hands. Realizing what he had done, he instantly released the other boy's hands, upset with his own lack of control.

"I apologize," he whispered guiltily.

\No Set, it's not your fault,\ Kheper'shaye replied and grabbed his hands back, preventing the taller man's hands from making their way into the folds of his robes. \And I never said to let go. I happen to like holding hands with you,\ he smiled endearingly.

Pausing and thinking for a short moment, Kheper'shaye continued with conviction, \I don't believe Sutekh is an evil god, or your mother wouldn't have given you his name. She must have believed that Sutekh was a wonderful and strong god and desired to have a son that would become wonderful and strong also. That's what I think, anyway.\ Turning red from such an embarrassing comment, he added, \And you've said yourself that truths can become distorted over time.\

Set stared at the younger boy, unable to take his eyes off that breathtakingly honest face. Somehow without even trying, he had singlehandedly made him feel better with just one straightforward observation.

Unable to control himself, he clutched the other boy to himself and wondered why he even deserved someone like him. He could feel the smaller boy's body emitting a special warmth that only he could supply.

"Thank you," he whispered simply, not trusting himself to say anything more.

Kheper'shaye just smiled genuinely at him and held on.

* * *

"Is this as far as you can go?" the auburn haired man asked in concern as he held onto his shorter companion.

The sun was just about to set behind the horizon as their carriage neared the gates of Iunu, a bustling and prosperous city in which their current Hetep di nisu spent most of his time. In the distance, Set could already see the temple of Atum-Ra and the King's Palace towering over the rest of the city.

Said companion was curled on his side, clutching his abdomen in pain. Kheper'shaye immediately nodded, breathing heavily from the pain he was feeling. It felt like something was about to tear him apart from the inside out.

"It'll be alright. We'll go backwards until you stop feeling any kind of discomfort at all," Set explained, tenderly wiping away the sweat from the other boy's brow. "That's where you'll stay with the guards."

Kheper'shaye nodded miserably once more, laying his tired head on Set's lap and shutting his eyes as the other man shouted out orders to the men outside. Despite the excruciating pain, the foreboding sensation in his heart plagued him more.

Set was going back to Iunu, and he could not go with him. And although he knew Set liked him a lot and was even affectionate towards him, would he forget about him once he was inside the great city? After all, he would be surrounded by his childhood friends and would live in the majestic palace and tend to an equally majestic temple. There would no doubt be countless others who could take his place next to the High Priest.

Kheper'shaye didn't want to be replaced, and even though he tried to look upon the situation positively, it was just so hard to. He was only a wanderer, a nomad who didn't even have a name until now. He had no memories, no position, no status or title, and he even looked peculiar. He didn't really have any extraordinary qualities that made up for his strangeness either other than being able to use heka. But even then, he didn't really know what he was doing anyway; it was all just instinct.

Maybe once Set returned to the city, he would realize just what a troublesome burden he would be. He was unable to even converse, didn't have a clue about any priestly duties, and to make it worse, he would have to hide most of his features from other people for fear of being discriminated against.

At least in the Red Sands, he could walk around freely and without restrictions. He did not have to hide in a desert free of people.

Yet, even knowing the consequences of choosing to stay with the other man, his heart and soul still chose to follow Set. Even if he had to burn his pale skin off and cut off all his blond hair, he would do it in heartbeat if it meant he could stay with Set.

The physical pain gradually faded as they moved further away from the Holy City, but Kheper'shaye couldn't bring himself to lift his head off of Set's lap, relishing in the feel of the other man's long slim fingers stroking his hair. He wanted to gather as much as he could of Set's touch and store them for the week that he would not be able to see him.

Meanwhile, Set couldn't stop the anxious restlessness in his heart from bubbling up either.

Optimistically it would take him a week to find a counter-curse, and Kheper'shaye would be safe with the hired guards from Khmenu. He had ordered them to set up tent near the gates of Iunu for a week and had promised to pay them a hefty sum directly from the Hem-Netjer if they continued to serve and protect his charge from harm.

Technically, he wasn't the Hem-Netjer yet, and he didn't exactly have the necessary payment on his person, yet. Hopefully the promise of payment from the Hem-Netjer himself would keep the guards motivated to protect his important person.

His thoughts were interrupted by Kheper'shaye's pulsing presence inside his mind. The boy's pulse was beating slowly yet inconsistently, which meant he was feeling apprehension or anxiety.

Carding his fingers through the boy's hair once more, Set moved his hand down to the other boy's cheeks.

"Everything will be alright. A week is hardly a long time. There is no need to be anxious," he reassured softly.

\But you're anxious too,\ the boy noted, golden eyes staring at him attentively.

"So you feel my presence inside your head as well, I take it."

The other boy nodded from his position on his lap.

\It's like a heartbeat. And yours tell me that you're feeling anxious as well.\

"I know that I shouldn't be. But it seems I've gotten used to having you always at my side. I never liked change," Set replied.

\I can't go back to how it was, Set. I can't be alone anymore. You won't forget about me, will you?\ Kheper'shaye's voice was tentative.

To say Set was a little affronted and even hurt by the other boy's low confidence in his regards was an understatement.

"Of course not. Do you not have any faith in me? I've already told you that I would not leave your side willingly. And you'll be stuck with me for the rest of your life as soon as we get this curse lifted. I'm sure you'll be wishing otherwise once that settles inside your pretty little head," Set replied rather belligerently.

Rising from Set's lap swiftly, Kheper'shaye turned to glare at him.

\Never,\ the other boy replied adamantly in his head, his pulse quickening in anger. \And it's not like I have little faith in you! I just don't have faith in myself! After all, I'm a nobody, and a boy at that! I'm afraid that once you go back, you'll just be too busy, and there will be other people vying for your attention all the time. There must be many beautiful maidens in the Hetep di Nisu's Palace who would no doubt pursue you.\

In a softer tone, he continued sadly, \And I'm hardly an ideal companion. I don't know a thing about priestly duties. Compared to the people inside the palace, I am only a pariah, a strange-looking outcast that somehow ended up alone in the vile Red Sands.\

Set's eyes softened at that, and he regretted his callous reaction. He raised his fingers to stroke the other boy's cheek in apology.

"You forget that I am an outcast as well. My looks aren't exactly like everyone else's either, you know. I inherited my mother's exotic features and have always been mocked by others when I was a child," Set responded gently, "And to me, you are far worthier than anyone else. No one has ever touched my heart as you have, and we are bound together by the red heka forever. Don't ever doubt my intentions towards you ever again, got that?"

The shorter boy dropped his head softly on his shoulder and wrapped his slender arms around his waist. \Seti, me too. I won't make you regret ever choosing me. Just hurry up, okay?\

"As quickly as I can," the priest affirmed as he returned the embrace.

He would spend all of tonight not thinking about tomorrow but on what was in front of him at this very moment.

* * *

Set stood at the entrance to the King's Palace reminiscing about his childhood. The city had not changed much, and he could almost convince himself that it hadn't been five long years since his forced removal from this city. If he just concentrated a bit, he could even almost believe that he was just coming back from a short excursion.

He was currently waiting with the remainder of his hired escorts as the palace guards were busy informing one of the members of the royal council of his arrival.

He couldn't help but look once more at the sky, thinking of the many years he had spent poring over scrolls and scripts and ancient texts and diagrams of the stars' trajectory and movement, all pointing to this day. His contemplation of the sky was interrupted by the sound of ornaments and he heard hastening footsteps approaching towards him.

Set looked back down and stared at the new arrival evenly as he took in the other man's features. He was tanned and of medium height with deep gray eyes. The sunlight glinted off the bulky gold diadem on his head and his shoulder guards. His most prominent adornment, however, was the pyramid-shaped Eye of Heru encircled in a ring which hung on a cord around his neck. The Millennium Ring-

The man's features and almond-shaped eyes looked remarkably familiar.

"Thank Atum-Ra! You really are Set, aren't you?" the other man cried out first, taking both his hands and holding them between his own.

Set focused intently on the other man's face and then widened his eyes in recognition.

"Mahaado?" he asked in surprise. Apparently, his childhood friend had changed quite drastically. The small sickly boy that had been even shorter than Atem had grown into a healthy and built man—especially with the obvious addition of a Millennium Item around his neck. That was a surprise.

"Yes, it is me, Mahaado. We received your message and have been waiting for you in haste. We've missed you more than you can know."

The other man then grabbed his shoulders and kept him an arm's distance as he assessed him from head to toe as if inspecting for damages or wounds. When he apparently found none, he nodded in relief and continued to say, "Atem has been impatiently and joyously waiting for you," the other man said with a smile on his usually passive face.

"You've… grown," Set responded drolly with a slight upturn of his lips.

The other man laughed and pulled him closer. "Of course, and so have you. Atem will be devastated to hear that you've grown even taller."

Set could not help but smirk. "I take it he has not grown much."

"Well, of course he's grown. Just not as much as he hoped he would," Mahaado replied, an inkling of mischief in his gray eyes.

The twinkle in his eye disappeared as soon as it came and his countenance suddenly became serious.

"But come in! We must notify him right away. And although you must be weary, we must take care of formal matters first," he said and dragged Set hurriedly into the recesses of the Palace.

The hired escorts that had stood with Set outside still had their mouths open in incredulity as the King's vizier dragged their charge away and let themselves be led by the palace guards to a different section of the Palace to rest.

* * *

Mahaado was an expeditious man, Set soon learned once again.

The other man immediately explained to him the situation he would have to face. Set would have to make an appearance in front of the full royal council as soon as he was dressed and ready. Apparently they were unconvinced of his survival and wanted to see him in the flesh for themselves.

Set understood the implication of Mahaado's words. It was nothing he wasn't already expecting.

The council knew him as a banished outcast who had been exiled from the kingdom, which meant that he no longer had the blessing of the gods. Because the purpose of the Hem-Netjer was to solely serve the gods themselves, only an individual that the gods blessed could carry that title.

Set could care less whether he was blessed or cursed by the gods, but he understood that in order for the council to accept him as Hem-Netjer, he needed to somehow prove to them that he had been redeemed and reinstated by the gods.

He shrugged indifferently at Mahaado, saying he hadn't expected anything more. He was ready for any obstacles that stood in the way of his goals.

Mahaado just stared at him in sympathy and explained that the position of Hem-Netjer was precarious at that moment due to his supposed death and delayed arrival. More than one member of the royal council wanted that title for themselves, and Set would need to demonstrate to them that not only was he alive and well, he also had to prove to them that he was qualified to take the title of Hem-Netjer.

Giving him a last friendly hug, Mahaado left him to his thoughts and rushed off to notify the council of his arrival.

Set was then led into the awaiting arms of a group of servants who proceeded to fastidiously clean, groom, and dress him from head to toe.

He eventually convinced them to stop trying to bathe him, preferring to bathe himself. He was used to carrying out his bodily tasks himself and disliked physical contact with strangers.

However, they insisted in helping him dress, which he reluctantly permitted them to do.

His new robes were made of the finest linen embroidered with blue and gold designs on the outer edges. His hair, which had lengthened quite a bit during his time in the desert, was neatly trimmed and combed. Finally, he was adorned with jewelry—gold, sapphires, rubies, and the finest lapis lazuli encircled his arms, neck, wrists and fingers. By the end, he felt like he was carrying another fifty pounds of extra weight.

Which was why he never liked the extensive jewelry he was expected to wear, always having preferred keeping things simple- a tunic, his customary gold armbands and the two rings on his fingers were more than enough.

But he allowed the servants to adorn him, knowing Atem wanted him to dress to impress the royal council. However he couldn't help but think Kheper'shaye would love the gold anklet beautifully set with sapphires. It would look better on the other boy anyway and would complement his golden hair and peach complexion.

Seemingly satisfied with his bedecked and clean appearance, the servants finally pushed him into a separate room, one he recognized from his childhood. It was the grand waiting hall that led to the entrance of the main throne room.

Looking at the gold gilded doorway ahead of him, Set closed his eyes and then reopened them, resolve in his eyes.

He would pave his own fate using his own methods, and no one would stop him.

* * *

Atem sat restlessly on his lavish throne as his eyes rested impatiently on the throne room doors in front of him.

His _Sacred Guardians [7]_ stood in a half circle around him as if to protect him from any external threat, while the rest of his royal council stood in a group to his left.

Mahaado stood to his immediate right while _Siamun Muran [8]_ stood to his left.

He gave a fleeting glance at Mahaado and narrowed his eyes in irritation, but the other man only smiled encouragingly at him and turned his attention to the doors waiting for the guards to announce their guest.

Atem frowned. He had really wanted to run out of the palace to directly greet Set himself but had been stopped by his Guardians.

Siamun Muran had proceeded to lecture him about the deportment of how a king should act and how he had to uphold his image in front of his people. He couldn't just run out to greet someone that could possibly be an impostor.

So here he was sitting on his throne as he exuded a practiced air of authority, attempting to school his features into one of formal indifference. It was not a good idea to show too much partiality to Set as the majority of the royal council disagreed with his decision to call the exiled man back to a position that relied solely on the gods' blessings.

Of course, he knew most of them wanted the position of Hem-Netjer for their own children or for themselves. After all, to become Hem-Netjer was to become second to the Hetep di Nisu in power.

Which was why he had to turn his personal reunion with Set into a blasted formality. It was all to appease the royal council who did not believe Set had the qualifications to become the next Hem-Netjer. Instead, they assumed that his miserable past circumstance was a punishment that was imposed by the gods themselves, which meant he was a cursed and forsaken individual.

None of them knew that Set was the actual biological son of Akhenaton, the King's own uncle or that Set was the King's blood cousin. All they knew was what had been concocted by Akhenaton himself five years ago- Akhenaton who had disowned his sons and wife and turned his back on them out of the fear of losing his own reputation.

And although Atem could not change the past, he was able to at least rectify it now. Though Set's name was damaged and stained, it was still possible to redeem the other man's reputation by exposing his keen intellect and magic ability. And Set had both in spades.

As a child, Set had continually scored the highest in his studies, continually beating even Atem himself. He was also extremely capable and potent in heka control and was trained to become either the next King or the High Priest. This was what Atem would try to boast to the council. He wanted them to see for themselves Set's naturally noble deportment and accomplishments.

He turned his eyes back to the front as four royal guards near the doorway announced the entrance of Seti Tutmesut.

The giant gilded doors were pushed open dramatically, and the guards led a tall and solemn man into the room to stand before the King. The royal council stared at the newcomer's aristocratic presence in unconcealed curiosity and awe. Even after years of desolation, the other man still exuded a sense of importance and grandeur, and no one could take their eyes off him even if they had tried.

Atem stared attentively at his cousin, seeing a fully grown man instead of the image of the introverted boy he had preserved in his head. His childhood friend had grown up without him being able to witness it.

The serious man walked coolly forward and bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment, keeping his blue eyes focused solely on him. Those intense eyes contained a wisdom and long-suffering that Atem hadn't seen before and looked old on his youthful face. He was devoid of any expression as he waited for the King to address him.

Atem could hear the outraged whispers of the council to his left, knowing that they were affronted by Set's lack of reverence towards him. Every single person presented to the King were expected and obligated to prostrate themselves before him. After all, he was now considered a god, the incarnation of Re-Harakhti himself. To do anything else was travesty and deserved severe punishment or even a death sentence.

Atem cursed inside his head. What was Set doing? Did he forget the basic courtesies of how he was supposed to act in front of a king? He was supposed to show the council that he had the proper upbringing and knowledge that was required of the High Priest.

Ignoring the shrill whispers behind him, he narrowed his eyes at the man facing him, willing him to play along.

"Are you Seti Tutmesut, the son of Shepsut?" he asked with authority.

The tall man nodded slightly in acquiescence, saying nothing. His expression showed no acknowledgment that he understood what Atem wanted him to do.

Atem glanced desperately at Mahaado who had been the one to inform Set of his dilemma. The man only glanced dismally back, shaking his head in helplessness.

The scornful whispers of the royal council continued. He turned his attention back to Set.

"Prove you are Seti Tutmesut and why you should be the next Hem-Netjer," Atem commanded in desperation.

Unexpectedly, the other man smirked, and for the first time since entering the throne room, he took his focus off of the King and gave a dispassionate gaze at the rest of the room, involuntarily pausing at Akhenaton, who stared back like a starving man.

In the back of his mind, Atem was impressed by Set's expression of indifference and apathy towards his own father as he turned his eyes back to the throne without even blinking an eye.

He then took off a silver ring embedded with the crest of his mother's ancestry, a serpentine creature with blue sapphire studs as eyes, from his left pinky finger and held it in front of him.

"This belonged to my mother. Only those from the family of _Khufu [9]_, son of Sneferu, can put on this ring, and there is no other one like it. It cannot be replicated since it is imbued with a special spell that has been lost with time," he explained to the audience as if it were common knowledge.

"And as for why I will be the next Hem-Netjer, it's really quite simple," he remarked arrogantly. "It is because I know the _Summoning Words [10]_ of Atum-Ra," he said with casual indifference.

The royal council gasped, and even the Sacred Guardians were astonished. Only the presiding Hem-Netjer was given the knowledge of the Summoning spell directly from the gods themselves. To truly know the incantation to summon a god meant that the gods themselves had already chosen their intended priest.

"That's impossible! No one should know the Summoning Words but the gods themselves. You are not even the High Priest yet!" a man spoke out from the group.

"Silence!" Atem bellowed to the royal council. "No one is allowed to speak but the King and the one addressed. You will let him speak."

Turning back to Set, he announced, "Seti Tutmesut, you have just made a massive claim—one that could either give you the immediate right to seize the title of Hem-Netjer without question or one that could banish you to the ends of the earth if it is proven you have committed false testimony. Can you prove that you have the knowledge of the Summoning Words?"

Inside, Atem was trembling with dread for his cousin. That was the one piece of knowledge that Set didn't know, and until he had become King, Atem hadn't known either. It was not a spell that could be taught but rather, it was revealed to the chosen individual by the gods.

However, Set was smirking at him with a confidence that indicated he knew what he was doing.

"Of course. I will show you the manifestation of Atum-Ra himself as he rises again from the totality of Nun!," he boasted dramatically. "Now if we can all be led outside."

Atem was now extremely confused. What in Ra's name was he talking about? The totality of Nun? What did he need to go outside?

"Why do you need to go outside to summon Atum-Ra?" he inadvertently asked and cursed at his thoughtlessness. Set obviously had a plan here.

The taller man just glared at him. "To show each of you that Atum-Ra's presence is not restricted to just the temple. The very nature of Atum-Ra himself is best seen outside," he replied haughtily.

Atem glanced at the council, who were whispering among themselves of the ridiculousness of the situation. "He is just trying to stall and buy himself time from being exposed for his lie!" they whispered to each other.

His Guardians were still staring at Set like he had gone insane. Akhenaton looked resigned, probably thinking his son had gone mad during his years in the cursed Red Sands.

Seeing no other choices, Atem shook his head and decided to interrupt.

"We will all be led to the outer garden courtyard and see whether Seti Tutmesut can do as he claims," he decided with finality and stood from his throne, leaving no room for petty complaints.

He addressed the guards. "Guards! Lead us to the outer courtyard!" he commanded.

The saluted and bowed as deeply as they could before escorting everyone from the room.

_Set_, Atem thought to himself, _I hope you know what you're doing. I can't do anything to save you anymore._

* * *

It was getting to be a most unusual day.

Why she hadn't been able to foresee this event, only Heru knew. The fact that she hadn't been able to use her Millennium Necklace when it came to seeing Set's past and future posed a huge problem to her, and she wanted to know why.

Iset was currently standing outside with everyone else as they all turned to the single person that had made them go outside under the hot and extremely bright sun.

The seer could feel the corners of her lips twitch upwards unintentionally at the royal council's uneasiness as they sweltered under the hot sun in their lavishly layered robes. _I suppose they must pay the repercussions for their vanity_, she thought.

She turned back to the man called Set who seemed to be at ease outside. He was a handsome man, though his features were atypical. He had high cheekbones, a strong definitive jaw, and a slightly lighter complexion compared to herself. It didn't help that he was a head taller than everyone else outside. His lighter auburn hair also stood out in stark contrast with the typical deep chestnut or ebony colored hair, and his intense blue eyes were the color of the Nile. She had never seen any one else with eyes like those.

He was squinting at the sun as if in deep contemplation.

"Well? Are we going to see the Summoning or not? Or were you just deceiving us?" one of the members of the council spoke up, apparently forgetting the King's earlier commandment.

"Hn," the auburn-haired man smirked as he continued to concentrate on the sun.

Iset could see her King standing uncomfortably next to his cousin. He looked like he was trying to think of a way to fix the mess the taller man had put himself in, yet at the same time wanted to know what he was up to.

This Set was a curious and intriguing man, she thought to herself. Although he seemed to know the King's intentions for him to play along, he still deliberately turned away from his good intentions and made the preposterous claim that he could summon Atum-Ra.

Iset knew for a fact that only the King knew the Summoning Words, and they could only be used in the King's Temple. Not even she or the rest of the Guardians knew them, and the former High Priests that were still alive could no longer call upon the gods even if they tried.

For this man to claim such a thing meant he was either a lunatic or chosen by the gods.

They all stood uncomfortably for a few more moments before Set spoke up.

"I will fulfill my claim right now," he announced and pointed to the sun. "Look! Atum-Ra makes his journey across the sky on his solar barque each day. But today, you will be awed at what I have requested of him to do!"

All eyes turned up to the sun, a few expectantly, most of the others not impressed. Iset squinted at the brightness. Nothing was happening.

As soon as the council burst out in complaint that nothing was happening, the entire sky became just a little darker. All eyes immediately turned back towards the sun, and even Iset had to gasp at the sight.

The Sun was being swallowed up!

Vaguely from her right and left, she could hear Mahaado and Shada's small gasp of disbelief as they all watched the formerly bright sun slowly become covered by darkness. The King's eyes had widened twice their normal size as he stared open-mouthed at the darkening sun.

"Have mercy on us! Apep is victorious and Atum-Ra is being swallowed! The end of the world is coming!" several of the council yelled in terror. Several others had dropped on their knees in incredulity and horror, afraid for their own lives that were undoubtedly coming to an end. Yet a few others were running around, babbling to themselves in hysterics.

A voice cut through the din, silencing everyone, stopping even the hysterical ones who had been running around in a panic. It was Set, who was still looking serenely at the sun, a triumphant and satisfied smile on his face.

"Silence!" he commanded.

"Get your story straight, fools!" he shouted condescendingly. "Apep cannot come out in broad daylight in the sky. He must hide behind the western mountain, Bakhu, in order to wait for Atum-Ra to traverse the Underworld. Like I have said before, I will show you the physical rebirth and manifestation of Atum-Ra. In order for this to happen, he must go back to the very beginning of time, back to the totality of Nun and his glorious birth!" he explained smugly.

Iset and everyone else was stare at the tall man in sheer stupefaction, their fears calmed by his explanation. Atem looked shell-shocked, an expression he rarely had on his face.

This time, everyone stared back up at the Sun, their beloved god Atum-Ra, with a new perspective. _By now, the disc of light had disappeared into the black abyss completely, leaving the totality of Nun in its full glory. [11]_

The whole courtyard was completely silent as they watched the sky darken like twilight. The stars could be seen shimmering merrily in the sky as it heralded the forthcoming birth of Atum-Ra.

And that was what happened- In a mere moment, the Sun god peeked out once more on the other side of Nun. Its bright rays scattered the remaining darkness and proclaimed his perfect and complete birth from the watery abyss.

The silence was completely broken as every single person standing in the garden courtyard cheered joyfully, in awe at the miracle of Atum-Ra showing them his glorious rebirth. They were unworthy of witnessing such a phenomenal summoning that had never been seen before.

One by one, each member of the royal council slowly dropped down on their knees before Set and apologized for their initial acrimony, begging for his forgiveness. They praised his majestic Summoning and lavished good will and blessings upon him, now certain that the gods had unquestionably chosen him as their Hem-Netjer. And what a Hem-Netjer he would be!

The tall man was still looking upwards seemingly oblivious of the praises of the men at his feet. He had a distant and out-worldly expression on his face as if he were miles away from everything, and what he could be thinking of, no one could tell.

And that was the exact moment Iset realized fully just what an amazing man Seti Tutmesut was.

**End of Chapter 6  
**

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Thank you for reading! Hopefully you found this chapter interesting and not too confusing.

**Footnotes:  
**  
**[1]** Akhet net Pet: Translated by modern archeologists as "Horizon of Heaven." It is supposedly the concept of the sun rising above the horizon (mountains) reborn each day.

**[2]** Mandjet: "Morning boat" or "The Boat of Millions of Years." The solar barque that Atum-Ra used _in the morning_ _during his journey through the sky_. He was supposedly accompanied by Sutekh (who sat at the helm at the forefront) and Mehen who protected him on his journey in the sky and to the underworld. Mehen is a protective snake-deity who coiled around Atum-Ra during his journey to the underworld. After Sutekh was vilified, he was replaced at the helm by others gods—such as Bast or Serk'het.

**[3]** Mesektet: "Evening boat." The second barque that was used by Atum-Ra during sunset as he traversed the underworld only to rise again on the Mandjet each day during sunrise.

**[3.5]** Journey to Djuat: "Djaut" means "Underworld" or "Death," so in other words, "Journey to the Underworld."

**[4]** Totality of Nun: Nun is the Ogdoad deity of the primordial watery abyss. It was believed by the Ancient Egyptians that all creation came from Nun, including the birth of Ra. The "totality of Nun" means the "prevalence of Nun," which indicates the beginning or the end of the world. (You will understand it more later.)

Kek: The Ogdoad deity of darkness, the unknown, and chaos.

**[5]** Sopdet and the stars: The Ancient Egyptian priests were also astronomers who studied the movement of the moon, sun, and stars (constellations) in order to determine events (such as the annual flooding of the Nile and harvest season) and direction (North, South, West, East). They also used astronomy to align and position the pyramids. It's really cool!

Sopdet: Egyptian name for "Sirius," the Dog Star or the brightest star in the Canis Major constellation. The heliacal rising of Sirius marked the flooding of the Nile in Ancient Egypt.

**[6]** Apep: The reptilian god of evil. He was an enemy of Atum-Ra who attempted to swallow the other whole during sunset.

**[7]** Sacred Guardians: The Millennium Item holders. All of them are trained priests of Atum-Ra. Their main objective is to ensure the safety of the King using their items in his name. The Millennium Items are the ones that select the carrier.

List of Atem's Sacred Guardians/Priests and their functions at present: Mahaado (advisor), Iset (seer), Kalim (protector), Shada (guardian of the tombs), Akhenaton (warfare strategist), Siamun Muran (counselor and advisor to the previous king; retained his position even though his Item was passed to the next carrier).

**[8]** Siamun Muran: The past incarnation of Yugi's grandfather. He was the former carrier of the Millennium Key/Ankh, but the Key was passed on to Shada, who was the next chosen wielder.

**[9]** Khufu: A real pharaoh in actual Ancient Egyptian history. He was the one who built one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid of Giza. He was the son of Sneferu, the father of the modern pyramid. I decided that Set's mother should be descended from his line, since they sound like they were an innovative and technologically advanced lineage.

**[10]** Summoning Words: In this story, in order to summon the gods' presence, one must recite the Summoning Words, a spell that is made known only to the presiding King and High Priest by the gods themselves. However, the spell is not a simple recitation of actual words but a spell cast via the ka using heka. To claim that you know the spell means that you claim the gods have chosen you to be one of them.

**[11]** A little more clarification on the totality of Nun and the birth of Atum-Ra: Yes, what they just witnessed was a total solar eclipse, a phenomenal event that happens every three to four hundred years at a given location. There is an extremely interesting article I read regarding the topic of solar eclipses seen during the Ancient Egyptian periods that inspired me to write this chapter. Read it at ** (slash) ** if you're interested!

As the story goes, Ra (or in this case, Atum-Ra) was born from the watery abyss of Nun through parthenogenesis or nonsexual means. Nun (watery abyss) is part of the Ogdoad which also consists of Amun (air and breath), Heh (infinity and time), and Kek (darkness, chaos, the unknown) and is usually paired by their female counterparts- Naunet, Amaunet, Hauhet, and Kauket. They are one of the first formless deities that already existed at the beginning of time.

In any case, Set, being the genius that he is, takes advantage of the natural phenomena known as the total solar eclipse. Based on what he knows and what he has studied, he concocts a likely story that gives the eclipse a positive point of view rather than a negative omen, which is what the Ancient Egyptians thought the eclipse was. While the royal council took the eclipse as a sign for the demise of the world, Set turned it around, using it as a means to seize and solidify his validity as the next chosen Hem-Netjer. A Summoning indeed!

Going back to the totality of Nun—it simply means "before the birth and rise of Ra, there was Nun." The totality of Nun is not a bad thing. Rather, it signifies the upcoming creation of the gods and humankind.

_Akhet net Pet_: In the latter half of the story and in the above article, it is translated as "_Eclipse_ of the Heavens." There will be more about Akhet net Pet in the next chapter! Please look forward to it!


	7. Eclipse of the Heavens

**Author's Notes:**

_Please, please, please __**review**__ and comment. _Let me know what you think and what you're expecting from this story! Even a simple "please hurry up with the next chapter installment!" would be appreciated!

The following chapter is unbeta-ed. Excuse the minor grammar and spelling errors please! If you find any major syntax or spelling errors, let me know!

Once again, footnotes are at the bottom of each chapter. Previous terms are explained in past chapters.

This story is set in Ancient Egypt and will contain fictional events and Egyptian mythology that _may_ be inaccurate. AU. Kaiba/Jounochi.

Thanks to _Snothomay _(Thank you for such a nice and encouraging comment! ^^)_, Miyo Yukimora, Blue Lagoon Loon, Jadej.j, _and_ FirieGurl_ for your reviews of the last chapter!

I'm trying to write as fast as I can, but there is only so much time I'm able to spend on it due to work and life. I've already determined the ending and the general outline of the story and where I want this story to go ultimately, but the middle parts of how I plan to make them happen, I'm making up as I go… which is why I'm not writing as quickly as I'm satisfied with...

I wanted to put up a chapter quicker, so I apologize for this shorter-than-normal chapter…

Even so, thank you for all your comments and please continue to support this story! :) I really hope I can make it through the entire story. ToT

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yugioh or its characters. However, Ashai, Khai, Bahiti, and Tumaini are all mine. Please be kind to them!

**" " Speaking out loud  
\ \ Speaking telepathically (only Kheper'shaye)**

* * *

**Harbinger of Calamity  
Chapter 7 – Eclipse of the Heavens  
**

Kheper'shaye hadn't known what true loneliness was until now.

True, for the first months after his awakening in the desert, he had been alone. But he discovered that one didn't truly know what loneliness felt like until they had experienced fullness in another person.

The feeling left him hollow and restless inside. And Set had only been gone for less than half a day! What would it feel like after a whole week?

Kheper'shaye silently groaned miserably at the thought and looked up at the hot and shining sun, checking to see if it was being swallowed up by darkness. Set had reminded him to look forward to it since it was a phenomenal occurrence that would only happen once in a life time.

Although he had initially been skeptical and even fearful of the occurrence, the other man had reassured him that he had nothing to be afraid of. It was just a natural event that would come and pass with no lasting repercussions, and he would be all the more amazed at how the world worked after witnessing it.

_It would be a memory you can keep and won't forget_, he had said in that all-knowing tone of his.

Kheper'shaye smiled whimsically at that particular memory. That was Set for you, all smug and arrogant one moment and completely kind and thoughtful the next. He wondered if Set noticed his own behavior shifts. But it was endearing, he thought to himself.

Though the man had been stiff and even a little condescending at the beginning when they met, it was only because he was uncomfortable with strangers.

But because they were forced into each other's company over time, Set had opened up to him, allowing him to have a chance to see what he was really like inside.

Set was a good person deep down—kind, but lonely, Kheper'shaye reflected. His mostly unfortunate situations in his life had led him to be somewhat callous and sarcastic, even domineering and a little manipulative. But that was because he was so used to people using him and treating him differently, and he was not used to people just liking him for who he was.

Of course Set didn't believe he was a good person at all, but Kheper'shaye knew he was beautiful inside. True, he could be somewhat conceited and haughty. And occasionally he could be quite aggressive and annoyingly smug when he was right about something.

Kheper'shaye pouted at the thought of the last time Set had given him an all-knowing smirk saying, "I told you so."

He sighed, but that was because Set was so bright and intelligent and mostly always right which gave him a right to be such a know-it-all.

There were times he was arrogant, overconfident, and even overbearing.

Yet he was also shy, awkward, insecure, passionate, and just

— Ultimately human.

He was so many things, and Kheper'shaye really couldn't help but love all those components of Set, even the obnoxious parts.

Still, the other man was often very gentle and tender especially towards him, he noticed ever since he had seen how Set treated the guards differently in Khmenu. He was demanding and self-assured at that time, ordering the guards around like he had been born to order people around and leaving them no room to argue or question him.

Yet with him, Set was completely different. He was glad only he could bring that human part of Set out.

He couldn't wait to see him again, but for now he would have to amuse himself by scoping the sky for any unusual occurrences.

Seeing no changes in the sun, Kheper'shaye glanced at the guards that Set had hired to look after him. They were sitting together in a loose half circle under a makeshift tent in order to block out the sun's heated brightness, completely ignoring his presence on the other side of the camp.

Although they had been wary of him at first due to his association with Set, his skin color and eye color left them wary of him. Granted several of them had tried to speak to him only to quickly discover that he was mute. After that, all of them pretty much left him alone, not wanting to involve themselves with someone that looked strange and foreign and above all, the gods forbid, mute, even if he was connected with the arrogant priest that had gone ahead of them to the King's Palace inside the city. They just wanted it to be done and over with, so they could receive their payment for an easy enough bodyguard assignment. And if they were paid by the Hem-Netjer himself, even better!

Kheper'shaye sighed soundlessly, situating himself comfortably under his own temporary shelter as he poked his head out to squint at the bright sky.

If he couldn't be with Set, he wished he could at least have the company of his desert friends. They were always welcomed guests, and he really missed them.

As if someone knew he was lonely and in need of companionship, the squawk of a large bird broke the silence of the campsite and a huge red-tinted hawk swooped down to settle lightly next to Kheper'shaye's tent, behind and away from the view of the guards to the east.

Kheper'shaye clapped his hands in glee as he stood up and approached the large raptor eagerly, undaunted by its long talons and sharp beak that could rip flesh apart quite efficiently. Rather, relief and delight glittered in his golden eyes.

It was Ashai! Had he come to lead him somewhere?

For it had always been Ashai who had led him from oasis to oasis in the Red Sands, making sure he had an abundance of water and food supplies always in handy. He had also been the one to show him the direction of Khmenu, flying from site to site and stopping each evening to make sure he and Set got enough rest for the next day's travel. It was too bad he never came too close ever since Set had become his constant companion. _[1]_

The bird looked at him with sharp amber eyes, unmoving from its perch on the ground. It squawked in welcome as he came close enough to pet the downy secondary feathers on the bend of its right wing.

_I'm glad you're here, but I wonder why. You suddenly flew off without warning when Set and I got to Khmenu. But still, I'm glad you're back,_ Kheper'shaye thought happily.

As if hearing his thoughts, the hawk moved closer to him to peck him lightly on the shoulder in assurance, and then turned his whole head in attention to something behind them.

Kheper'shaye looked behind him, curious of what Ashai could be staring at, only to widen his eyes as a graceful and slender gazelle peeked out from behind a nearby _Persea [2] tree_. Even more amazing was the long silver snake coiled casually around the gazelle's neck and back as if it had always been there.

His golden eyes lit up in recognition. _Bahiti and Khai! Together?_

He had never seen his animal friends come visit him together at the same time, having always thought that they were individual creatures that didn't get along with each other. Didn't snakes eat hawk eggs and gazelles trample snakes underneath their hooves?

As if the veil had been partially lifted from his eyes, Kheper'shaye understood something that had been staring at him in the face all this time. He had known somewhere deep inside him that none of his friends were normal animals. Why else would they help him and always seem to know his thoughts? But he had always buried this idea before he could think on it further, not wanting to discover something he didn't really want to know.

Ultimately, he was a little scared of the consequences of knowing—afraid that there might be others who were watching him as he roamed the desert sands aimlessly even when he could not remember his past.

But now that he thought about it, it was highly possible that these three were meant to keep an eye on him. Maybe they had been sent to watch over him to make sure he never returned to civilization? Were they going to stop him now that he was so close?

But Ashai had been the one who guided him to Khmenu, and they had always been good to him ever since he woke up alone in the Red Sands—

It was Ashai who always led him to the best shades to rest and the most abundant places to eat and store up food and resources.

It was Bahiti who always showered him with lovely trinkets and nice gifts (like the magnificent blue robe he had given to Set and his Eye of Heru trinket). _[3]_

And it was Khai who was always there as his source of comfort when he was feeling particularly sick or lonely. _[4]_

_No,_ he thought resolutely. _They are my friends, and even though they aren't what they seem, it doesn't matter._

He gestured to Bahiti to come closer, but the gazelle only turned her attention to the still unaware guards nearby.

Kheper'shaye understood her hesitance immediately. He didn't exactly want to alert the guards to their presence accidentally as they would undoubtedly panic or try to hurt his friends.

Making a decision, he walked further off from their temporary camp, not that the guards would care anyway, and settled closer to the copse of trees and brushes nearby. That way, he could greet Bahiti and Khai while still giving them sufficient cover from the guards.

He smiled cheerfully in greeting and caressed Bahiti's fur-covered back happily as she nudged him with her head.

He laughed silently as Khai slid off her back and slithered up his arm and around his torso and shoulders to give him a flickering snake kiss, tickling his cheeks and lips with his forked tongue.

_I wonder how you two became friends,_ he thought. Hearing leaves shuffling from slightly above him, he looked up to see Ashai landing gently on the extended tree branch.

Were they all friends? It couldn't be a coincidence. He frowned in consternation at this but was distracted by Khai's smooth scaly skin sliding across the ticklish parts of his arms and neck.

In the distance, the sound of a single wolf howl could be heard.

He was so focused on petting Bahiti and pondering about their connection with each other that he failed to catch the sound at first.

A second howl echoed across the trees once more, this time the sound came from a lot closer and Kheper'shaye's ears picked it up.

Ashai was focused keenly towards something in the near distance while Bahiti had stopped nuzzling Kheper'shaye to prick her sensitive ears forward. Khai had stopped moving also, small head lifted above Kheper'shaye as he flickered his tongue dangerously and stared at the empty space to their left.

Kheper'shaye registered the howl. A wolf? He didn't think it could be a jackal since they tended to yip or bark at a higher pitch. But this howl had been a deep and full bellow, echoing resonantly across the trees.

As soon as he had come to the conclusion that it could only be a wolf, something heavy and furry leapt at him from behind. The impact caused him to bowel forward in complete surprise. Thanks to Bahiti's presence in front of him, however, he was able to steady his balance by gripping at her back.

He turned his whole body around rapidly to catch the offender but gasped when an excited and wet tongue lapped at his face.

His fear turned into laughter as the canine continued to jump and attempt to lick his face. Unable to catch his balance this time around, Kheper'shaye tumbled backwards and fell on his rump as an eager wolf jumped onto his stomach.

The wolf yipped and playfully licked him once more on his cheek before stepping backwards to sit on his haunches.

Of all his desert friends, Tumaini was the one Kheper'shaye saw the least. The Egyptian wolf seemed to only appear at times when he was in physical danger, such as the time when he was nearly mobbed by a small group of desert thieves. He had been inches away from certain death as a thief was about to plunge a knife into his unsuspecting back when Tumaini leapt into the fray, fangs bared as he lashed and bit at his attackers.

But he was sure that it was Tumaini who kept him safe at night, since there would be times he thought he could hear the sound of wolves howling close by.

He had also been with him when he saved Set, though he left immediately after all the thieves had been disposed of.

Because the nature of their meetings had never been favorable, it had left a certain sense of fear of Tumaini in Kheper'shaye.

Of course he knew the wolf would never harm him... he had been saved from multiple live-endangering scraps afterall, but that still didn't mean he wasn't just a little wary of the wolf's other nature—the aggressive and dangerous side as opposed to the protective and eager side.

But now that they were safe and out of danger, the friendly and eager part of the wolf was particularly revealed, and Kheper'shaye couldn't help but clutch the golden wolf to his chest, his fear completely leaving him. _[5]_

Their happy reunion did not last long, however, as the sound of alarmed shouts reached his ears from the other side of camp where the guards had situated.

Fearing for the worse, Kheper'shaye immediately broke away from his friends and ran back to the east side of the camp only to see all the guards hiding inside their tent and covering their eyes. They were pointing at the sky.

He looked up and opened his mouth in awe at the sight. At first, it was only a small change, a slight dent in the sun's disc, but the longer he squinted, the more the disc became eclipsed by darkness.

Something in his head began buzzing incessantly and only kept getting louder as the sky grew darker.

The chaotic sensations in his mind intensified, and Kheper'shaye grunted as he fell to his knees, feeling completely disoriented by the relentless flashes bombarding his mind.

What was happening to him? He clutched his temples in an attempt to get the flashes and buzzing to stop and whimpered when they only got worse.

Rolling on his side as he grasped his throbbing head, he could only vaguely feel a wet tongue lap comfortingly at his temple and something cool slither over his tightly closed eyes.

_Help! Someone, please tell me what's happening,_ he cried internally, wishing someone would stop the pain. But the horrible sensation in his mind continued interminably as if intent on tearing his whole mind apart.

Kheper'shaye fought to stay awake despite the overwhelming darkness that threatened to engulf him. He didn't know what would happen if he just let go and succumbed to the darkness. He didn't want to succumb, fearful of never waking back up. Set was coming back for him, and he had someone to live for. He didn't want to die.

But the pain and flashes inside his head continued to bombard him for what felt like years though it had probably only been a few minutes.

_But it hurts..._

_Help! Someone! _he pleaded in sheer agony.

Yet no one could hear his silent cries. If he could only talk or even say one word out loud, if he wasn't mute and useless, maybe one of the guards would hear him and help him.

_Please stop...stop! _he cried once more in desperation, feeling his mind crumble.

The pain continued as the flashes turned into random images, so many of them that he couldn't even register them at all.

Finally succumbing to the pain, Kheper'shaye slipped into unconsciousness, but not before a last image floated to the surface of his damaged psyche—

It was of a tall and dazzling red-haired man who gazed passionately at him with affection in his deep blue eyes.

* * *

"What in Heru's name was that?" Atem demanded as soon as the royal council had been dismissed from their presence. Only his Sacred Guardians, Set, and himself were left in the outer courtyard, and Atem could not wait to disclose his question.

Set was still standing at his original position, rubbing his temple in noticeable discomfort. His eyes were slightly glazed as he turned in response to Atem's voice.

"...What?" Set asked, still disoriented. Something was wrong inside his mind.

Though he had discovered early on after their separation that he was out of communication range with Kheper'shaye, their bond with each other still remained. And though the strength of the connection was not as clear as he liked, he could still sense the vague presence of the other boy inside his mind.

But now something was very wrong. His bond with Kheper'shaye seemed to be muted and shaky, and he could almost feel an emptiness inside his head that he hadn't felt in a long time.

Something had happened to Kheper'shaye, and it wasn't good.

Feeling the desperate urge to get to the other boy as soon as possible, he turned to leave the courtyard immediately, intent on finding the exit.

"Set! Where are you going? Answer me!" Atem shouted in alarm as his cousin ignored him and continued to walk away.

"I need to get to him. Something's wrong..." Set muttered ambiguously as he strode in the direction of the palace stables.

"Wait! Set! Come back! You can't just leave! Where are you going?" He ran to catch up with the taller man, his entourage of Guardians following after him in confusion and concern.

"Set, where are you going?" Mahaado spoke out, stopping the taller man from going further by grasping his shoulder from behind.

Set turned to face him, unspoken apprehension on his usually stoic face.

"Something happened to him. I left him outside the gates of Iunu, but now I need to go back."

Atem was now standing next to Mahaado with his hand on his cousin's wrist, concerned about Set's uncharacteristic disposition. "Who are you talking about?"

The taller man seemed to gather his bearings and he scowled at the rest of the Guardians, particularly Akhenaton who had been watching the whole situation in obvious interest behind Mahaado and Atem.

Atem looked back to see who Set was glaring at and nodded in comprehension. "Everyone but Mahaado and Kalim will leave," he ordered, "We need privacy."

"But— " Akhenaton spoke up, only to be instantly rebuffed by the King.

"You will leave. You no longer have the right, Akhenaton," Atem commanded, implicit anger in his voice. That man had no business in Set's affairs any longer.

Akhenaton glared dangerously at the young king and then turned to stare longingly once more at his son, who was giving him an apathetic look. Finally he sighed and then bowed grudgingly, turning to leave.

Both Iset and Shada looked puzzled but bowed graciously before the king before taking their leave after Akhenaton.

Atem turned back to his taller cousin, Mahaado and Kalim standing slightly behind him in wait.

"Now tell me what's going on and why you feel you need to leave. Maybe we can help."

"I must make haste. The boy who saved me—he's still outside the gates of Iunu, but I can tell something's wrong. I have to make sure no harm has come to him," Set explained hurriedly, snatching his hand back from Atem's grip. He wasn't comfortable with others touching him.

"Why did he not come with you into the city? We would have welcomed your savior and given him a place to stay," Atem asked, a little perplexed as he dropped his arms back to his sides.

At his question, Set shook his head in frustration. "You won't understand. He needs my help."

"Why won't I understand? I've always tried my best to help you, haven't I?" Atem countered, offended that Set wouldn't answer him forthrightly.

The auburn-haired man smiled a little bitterly, "But sometimes, trying isn't enough, is it."

Hurt flashed through Atem's eyes and Set continued to explain, "You are the King now, so no matter how much you want to help me, your first priority will always be the welfare of your kingdom and your people. If I were to request of your help something that could be a possible threat to your kingdom, no matter how small it is, don't tell me you would try to help me."

Atem couldn't argue with that, but he stubbornly pressed on.

"You're right, I am the King, but that doesn't mean I can't discern or make my own judgments regarding what I should or shouldn't do. Just tell me your situation and I will judge for myself. Don't assume that I will do nothing for you."

He added, "We may be family, Set, but we are friends foremost, and friendship is stronger than our bloodline. Don't forget that."

The taller man stood still in silence, mulling over the shorter man's words.

Sighing, he succumbed at last, knowing that if the King were to be on his side, things would be easier in the future.

"Fine. I will tell you."

Atem exhaled deeply in relief.

"But you must not reveal this to anyone else. I do not want him hurt."

Atem looked at his cousin in slight revelation and bewilderment. "This boy must be really something for you to go to such extreme lengths for him," he pointed out.

"He saved my life," Set responded briefly, not wanting to divulge just exactly what kind of relationship he had with Kheper'shaye to Atem, even if he was his cousin.

"I will make it brief. I shouldn't delay," he continued. "His name is Kheper'shaye. He has been wandering the Red Sands ever since he gained consciousness, not remembering anything about his past memories. He found me when I was bleeding profusely from a knife wound and nursed me back to health. It is because of him that I am alive and here. I intended to take him back to Iunu with me so that he may live a new life without troubles, but we discovered he felt unbearable pain when in close proximity to a city. We both concluded he has somehow been cursed from entering any cities, though he has no recollection of why or who had done it to him. Because of that, I left him outside Iunu temporarily so I could find a cure for him in the Great Library of Iunu."

Kalim, who had been standing behind Atem, spoke up guardedly.

"Curses are extremely difficult to cast, and only extremely powerful priests, usually under the King's command, can curse someone at that level. Are you certain he is not a criminal who has been exiled permanently? He could be a dangerous threat to the city and the King!"

Set glared at the Millennium Scales holder.

"He is _not _a criminal. He is an innocent and would not even willingly hurt an insect. And this is why I did not want to tell any of you. You are all biased! You do not even know him, yet you accuse him of being something he isn't!"

Mahaado, in an attempt to circumvent the situation, barged in quickly.

"Calm down. We are not accusing anyone of anything right now. But Kalim does make a good point."

Turning to address Set, he asked, "How do you know you are not being played by this person? Perhaps he knew you would be coming into a position of power and wanted to use you for his own greater good. In that case, he would be dangerous."

Set interjected, his glare intensifying.

"I would know. Are you saying I am not a good judge of character? He would not spend so much effort to nurse me back to health in such a manner if he were not a good person. I have spent more than twenty-five fortnights with him and he would never do such a thing. And you know yourself I would not vouch for just anyone."

The king nodded slowly in agreement as he replied, "I know that Set would not just randomly vouch for just anyone. He has always been a good judge in character and extremely discerning. He has spent months with this boy so he should know his character best."

Here, he paused in thought before continuing, "But at the same time, I am the King, and I must do what is best for my people."

Set jerked forward, ready to argue, but Atem beat him to it.

"Before you say anything, I will make my decision. Mahaado and Kalim will go with you to see this... Kheper'shaye, and determine for themselves whether he is a threat to the kingdom. If they find him worthy and confirm your judgment of him, we will help you find a counter-spell for his curse at once."

Set scowled at Atem in betrayal. "So you do not trust me after all even after spouting your reassurances."

Atem frowned back, "It's not like I don't trust you Set. But your judgment may be clouded due to your proximity and sense of obligation to your savior. Mahaado and Kalim will merely be witnesses, a second and third eye to validate what you've said. It is for precautionary purposes."

Proposing his counsel using a more appealing rationale, Atem continued, "Think of them as backup then. After all, if something does happen to go wrong, you can always send one back as a messenger and the other can be used as a healer. Unlike Mahaado, Kalim here is quite adept at healing magic and he could be of great use to you."

At this, Atem grinned mischievously at Mahaado who pointedly looked away from the king in slight irritation.

But Set was quick to reply, not wanting to delay any further.

"So be it. But they will both find him purely innocent and completely worthy. Mark my words," he stated firmly as he walked away, leaving Mahaado and Kalim to bow quickly to the King before rushing off after him.

Shaking his head in slight amusement, Atem suddenly remembered that his initial question had never been answered.

"Hey! You better tell me how you summoned Atum-Ra when you get back, you stubborn rock!" he called out ineffectively to the now empty garden.

* * *

Mahaado could not help but gaze contemplatively at Set, who was sitting ramrod straight across from him in the carriage. His eyes were focused on nothing in particular, deep in thought though his face showed no expression.

Set had changed in five years, he thought. His eyes held a resolute fire that hadn't been there before. True, he had always been a motivated individual, but now he was a man who had something to live for, a goal he wanted to fulfill by all means.

He chanced a glance a Kalim who was sitting awkwardly next to him, trying not to stare at Set.

Kalim did not know Set as a child and was therefore wary of the tall arrogant man who had the audacity to talk back to the King. But he had seen Set summon the manifestation of Atum-Ra and had been just as awed as everyone else.

He knew that the other Sacred Guardians had concerns about installing a formerly exiled member of royalty into the position of Hem-Netjer, but then they didn't know anything about Set.

Though they knew he was related to the King by blood and was his friend, what they saw for themselves was an intimidating and haughty man who was unafraid of the King and who had the power of the gods in his hands without even completing the ceremony of the Hem-Netjer yet.

That left all of them a little awed of the man who was currently sitting across from him and Kalim.

Mahaado understood it fully well—he was still reflecting back upon that glorious moment as well. Which brought him to this moment-

"I've never seen Atum-Ra manifested in such a way before. How did you do it? You never told us," he spoke up, wanting to break the awkward silence.

Set seemed to shake out of whatever trance he had previously been in at the noise and focused his blue eyes on him.

"A priest never divulges such information if they do not want to incur the wrath of the gods," he replied smoothly.

"But I will tell you this," he continued ambiguously, "I did not let myself succumb to idleness even in exile. You know of the Akhet net Pet as the Horizon of the Heavens each day, but I see the Akhet net Pet as the _Eclipse_ of the Heavens."

Mahaado smiled knowingly, accustomed to Set's vague but precise way of speaking. It really brought him back to their shared past. But Kalim just blinked in confusion.

It was good to know that Set still retained his sense of diligence. Even when they were children, he had always been the smartest and most cunning among them, and it had certainly not gone to waste.

"Do you still have the sight?" he asked unexpectedly.

Set didn't really look surprised at his question. "Yes. It has its uses," he answered briefly. "You?"

Mahaado nodded, remembering Atem's teasing comment earlier. Deciding to divulge the meaning, he asked Set, "Do you remember how Atem had an affinity for heka associated with shadow magic? And I could barely get any heka to react with me other than a weak affinity for healing heka?"

Set nodded slowly, "I remember."

"I was such a little weakling back then, but I was happy that I had some kind of affinity for healing. It would have been so much more useful, but after you left, my sensitivity to the heka associated with healing all but disappeared and it stopped reacting to me. It seems that my sight of heka had not been fully mature and weak in comparison to yours and even Atem's, but then I discovered that I could manipulate the heka associated with black magic and curses quite well. I have gotten quite good at it, though it is still a sore point for me that my healing ability has all but disappeared. I would have preferred to be able to heal rather than to instill a curse on someone. Atem never fails to tease me about it."

Set sat up straighter, interest peaked. "You say you are adept at curses. What of counter-curses? Do you have much knowledge of that?"

Mahaado nodded cautiously. "Somewhat. Which was why I was a little startled when you mentioned your companion's curse. Not many people have the capability to cast such a high-level curse. That is probably why Atem sent me with you and Kalim… so I can determine whether his curse can be dispelled easily. I'm not able to see the heka in people, but with your ability, I'm sure we can determine a counter-spell for it."

Set sighed, slumping slightly back into his seat in relief. "Blasted cousin," he stated ungraciously. "Never informs me of anything until the last minute. And you wonder why I act the way I do. Bastards, all of you."

Mahaado couldn't help but laugh heartily, relieved that Set was still Set after all. He had grown up, that was all, and he was sure he had nothing to be wary of.

Poor Kalim looked completely baffled as he watched him laugh hysterically.

That just made him laugh all the harder.

Across from them, Set's lips twitched only a little.

**End of Chapter 7.**

* * *

**Footnotes:  
**

**[1]** Ashai: "Abundance." If you've read the previous chapters carefully, you would see brief cameos of a red hawk flying above and Kheper'shaye keeping an eye on it. Yes, that was because Kheper'shaye was actually using Ashai as a guide/compass, since he's always relied on the hawk to lead him in the right direction. They befriended each other shortly after Kheper'shaye woke up in the Red Sands, in which the large hawk leads him to a water source. Kheper'shaye named him "abundant" because he has always provided for him and he is never at a lack of food.

**[2]** Persea tree: The Persea tree was grown in Iunu and was thought to be the burning Tree of Life where the phoenix would arise. The fruit of the Persea tree symbolized the "Sacred Heart" of Heru and the tree was also often associated positively with Ra and Amun.

**[3]** Bahiti: "Fortune." The golden gazelle makes a cameo appearance in chapter three when Set remembers seeing Kheper'shaye running gracefully with a gazelle. She was nameless then, but now we know her name. Oddly enough, their multiple encounters always results in Kheper'shaye finding some kind of "fortune," including that blue robe that was given to Set (Where did it come from?) and even the Eye of Heru that Kheper'shaye found in the first chapter. (Now we know!) Kheper'shaye calls her his "shai-nefer," which means his good luck charm.

**[4]** Khai: "Crowned/dignified." The silver-scaled black mamba also makes an appearance in the third chapter. He was Kheper'shaye's closest confidante before the appearance of Set in his life. Kheper'shaye discovered him stuck under a boulder due to a recent sandstorm. Healing him with his pendant, he developed a close friendship and affection for the snake— who is extremely possessive and seems to understand him when he speaks, as seen in the third chapter. Whenever he shows up, something important always happens almost immediately after. His temperament is dignified and proud, thus the name given to him by Kheper'shaye. (Doesn't he kind of remind you of Set? Which is why they don't mix well with each other...)

**[5]** Tumaini: "Hope." A rare golden Egyptian wolf that has been mentioned but never makes any appearances until now. He is apparently Kheper'shaye's protector and also Set's second savior who took down all the thieves and robbers in the Red Sands. It is mentioned by Kheper'shaye in a previous chapter that he had a vague inkling that the being that pulled him out of the sand in the first chapter was actually Tumaini, but we don't know for sure, do we! Kheper'shaye calls the wolf " hope", because he always saves him from various life-threatening situations.

**Author's Notes:**

So what and who exactly are these four animals? Are they creatures from the gods? Manifestations of the gods themselves? Or are they just animals that have been trained by someone to spy on Kheper'shaye and Set?

And what is happening with poor Kheper'shaye? What will happen next? Will poor Kalim be confused forever?

Look forward to all those answers in the future chapters!


	8. A Voice of Revelation

**Author's Notes:**

The following chapter is unbeta-ed.

Once again, _footnotes are at the bottom of each chapter_. _Previous terms are explained in past chapters_.

This story is set in Ancient Egypt and will contain fictional events and Egyptian mythology that _may_ be inaccurate. AU. Kaiba/Jounochi.

Thanks to _Snothomay, Miyo Yukimora, KhairulJBlack, ChaniaGo_, and_ Blue Lagoon Loon_ for your reviews/comments for the last chapter! I hope I was able to reply to all your comments! :)

(_Snothomay, _you're the only one I'm not able to send private messages to_, so—_ Regarding comments and reviews, they are greatly appreciated of course, but ultimately, I remind myself that I'm writing this story for my own pleasure, not to count the number of reviews I receive. But I do thank you for your generous reviews~ I really take pleasure in reading people's comments to my fic. ^^ Still, I'm continuing this story because I _want_ to and it helps me de-stress. Nevertheless, I value each and everyone of my reviewer's support. I'm very happy to hear people enjoy my writing. *cheers*)

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Yugioh or its characters. The animal quartet belongs to me.

**" " Speaking out loud  
\ \ Speaking telepathically (only Kheper'shaye)**

* * *

**Harbinger of Calamity  
Chapter 8 – A Voice of Revelation**

Set glanced out at the gently sloping plains and dense trees surrounding the site as the carriage rolled closer to their destination.

He could feel a horrible sensation blossoming throughout his whole body as his eyes roamed anxiously over the deserted campground, looking for any signs of life. Over the duration in the carriage, he had stopped feeling Kheper'shaye's presence inside his mind. Now he was feeling frustrated and even anxious for his companion.

_He couldn't be dead. He just couldn't._

But the area he had left Kheper'shaye looked completely abandoned, supplies and random tent canvasses strung all over the ground in disarray_—_ it didn't look good.

"Stop the carriage!" he ordered, and not waiting for it to roll to its stop, jumped out of the carriage impatiently, already intent on looking for Kheper'shaye.

_Where were all the guards? And most importantly, where was Kheper'shaye?_ He strode forward to start his frantic search, only to be interfered by Mahaado yet again, who had grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Set, wait! What's going on here? What's with the hurr-" Mahaado's question stopped midsentence as his eyes seemed to focus on what was beyond.

"Where is everybody? And why is there a mess here?" he asked instead, his voice tinted with bewilderment.

"I must find him," Set mumbled incoherently and snatched his arm away from Mahaado's grip.

Mahaado stared after Set helplessly and turned to Kalim, who was still currently getting off the carriage.

"Come, we must help him find his companion," he said to the Millennium Scales carrier. "We'll leave the supplies and carriages here with the guards until then." Turning, he ran to follow Set, leaving Kalim to give out orders to the soldiers that had come with them in a separate carriage.

Set's eyes skimmed swiftly over the expanse of land and then leaned down to pick up a discarded article of clothing. It looked like all his hired guards had ran off without preparation, even leaving most of the supplies neglected on the ground. Was it because they had been afraid of the Eclipse and had run for it?

But Kheper'shaye would not have run off with them. He had already been warned by Set beforehand of the occurrence and had been prepared for it.

He looked around again at the abandoned camp site. There were no signs of any kind of skirmishes or scuffles.

He gazed out towards the west once again, and squinted when he caught sight of a shape jogging towards him.

_Kheper'shaye?_

He immediately started running towards the figure only to be sorely disappointed as the features of the other person became distinguishable. It was one of the hired guards, and he was alone.

"Wabu! My apologies!" he immediately wailed once he recognized Set as his current employer.

"Where is he!" Set demanded, his blue eyes flashing with anger.

"W-who?" the man had the gall to stutter.

"The one you were supposed to guard with your life, imbecile!" Set yelled vehemently.

"I'm s-sorry! I-I t-think he is dead. A horrible thing happened when the sun was swallowed! We all thought we were going to die, but he was the only one who fell! The rest of the guards were so afraid, they ran off towards the city," the man explained, his voice trembling with terror at the tall man who looked ready to kill him.

"I-I was the only one who stayed, sir, but I c-could not help him. T-those ferocious creatures were surrounding his body and have undoubtedly devoured his corpse by now," he finished lamely, eyes dropping to the ground in fear of the heated gaze of the taller intimidating man.

Set trembled in pure anger and disbelief as he felt reality crashing down. _No, it wasn't possible._ Kheper'shaye couldn't just die like that.  
_  
Wait… ferocious creatures?_

"You will lead me to where you saw him or I will kill you with my own two hands right now," he threatened the lone escort.

"B-but sir! The creatures will go after you next! It is too dangerous for one man!"

"Show me! Or so help me _Sutekh [1],_ I will strike you down right now!" Set roared, lifting an arm to strike.

"Stop," Mahaado interrupted, pushing Set's raised arm back to stop him from really killing the man. "You better tell him now or else I will not stop him next time," he warned the trembling guard.

The man's shuddered in terror, eyes widening as he glimpsed at the Golden Eye of Heru peeking from Mahaado's white robes. He blinked, instantly recognizing the Millennium Ring and just what it entailed.

"My-my lord!" he exclaimed, realizing that the second man who now stood before him was the Grand Advisor of the King himself. So his employer had not lied, and he really was the Hem-Netjer...

He prostrated on the ground immediately, eyes turned downward in sheer nervousness. _[2]_

"Tell me!" Set growled again, removing himself from Mahaado's firm grip, his eyes burning a hole into prostrating guard.

"Y-yes! Hem-Netjer! I am so sorry, my lord! It was not my intention to offend you in any way," he gasped out, feeling lightheaded now that his mind registered just exactly whom he was facing. "I saw him near the copse of Persea trees."

He stood up immediately and pointed slightly to the northwest where a large group of trees stood proudly in the nearby distance.

"But be careful, my lord! There are violent creatures surrounding his body," he warned.

Set instantly moved towards the northwest, ignoring Mahaado's pleas for him to wait.

_Ferocious, violent creatures… could it be…?_

Stripping off the extra layers of clothes that confined his moving ability, he carelessly dropped them to the ground and ran.

Making his way up the hilly slope, he suddenly halted when he came upon a dreadful scene, feeling his heart pause for a moment as well.

Kheper'shaye's body was on the ground in a lifeless heap.

He stumbled disbelievingly towards the body of his companion only to stop as he finally registered the four animals surrounding the motionless body. They were watching him intently from their guarded positions around Kheper'shaye.

His eyes immediately recognized one of them—the silver serpent. Khai.

"Khai!" he shouted, desperation tinting his voice. "It is me, Set, Kheper'shaye's companion! I-I must see him… I must see him…if he really is…" he gulped, unable to voice that dreaded word.

The black mamba was looking at him, its tongue flickering silently, coiled body tense yet unmoving.

"Please…" Set mumbled softly, feeling something inside him about to crack.

And then, as if the animals heard and understood him, they all inched slightly away simultaneously, leaving an untended space in between them as if inviting him to come forward.

Set breathed lightly, afraid of what he might see, and stepped forward. He dropped to his knees beside the body of Kheper'shaye, his blue eyes already focused on seeing beneath through the streams of wispy heka as he tried to detect for any indication of life.

_Please,_ he pleaded inside his mind. _Please—_

_Please what? _something inside him screamed at him.

_Please don't leave me._

The boy was still warm, and the heka inside indicated he was still alive. He dropped his cheek to the other boy's neck for assurance, and sighed in utmost relief as he heard the pulsing of his heart. He couldn't help but turn his head slightly to breathe in the other's unique scent and brush his lips lightly across the boy's exposed and vulnerable neck, kissing it softly before lifting his head.

_We've only been a day apart, but look what happened,_ he thought. But if he was alive, why had the pulsing presence inside his mind stopped?

He jerked slightly when he felt a comforting tongue swipe at his cheek. He turned his face sideways in surprise, noticing gold canine eyes watching him dolefully. Those eyes reminded him of Kheper'shaye's own eyes. The wolf licked him once more on the cheek in obvious attempt to comfort him.

He lifted his hands to brush at his face, only to realize that his eyes and cheeks were slightly wet. He had been unconsciously crying, and the wolf had licked them away for him.

_When was the last time I cried for someone?_ he wondered. He had been too angry to cry when Maa'kheru had died, and he had been prepared and too numb to cry at his mother's inevitable death, but this was the first time he had been able to physically cry for another person.

He widened his eyes in sudden revelation of what it all meant and dropped his eyes to Kheper'shaye's pale face in wonderment.

"Please wake up," he whispered, lifting the boy onto his lap, suddenly desiring to tell him something important.

"Wake up," he repeated. This time, he shook the boy slightly, intent on rousing him.

There was no response from Kheper'shaye who continued to dangle limply in his arms.

"Wake up!" he commanded again, louder this time. He was alive, wasn't he? So why wasn't he waking up?

The wolf suddenly shifted besides him and whined, nipping at his hands that were now patting Kheper'shaye's cheeks none too gently, which were turning red. Khai hissed at him in forewarning, while the gazelle nudged his shoulder with its head.

Set turned to the animals. "Why isn't he waking up? What's wrong with him?" he demanded. The relieved expression that had previously been on his face was gone.

This time, the hawk that been silently observing the whole time squawked loudly at him to catch his attention. He looked up. The gazelle beside the hawk then moved to lick between his eyes and then dropped down to touch Kheper'shaye's chest.

Somehow, Set understood what they were trying to tell him, and he focused his eyes once more on the heka moving steadily inside Kheper'shaye, intent on finding the problem, only to be interrupted at his task by a voice shouting in alarm behind him.

"Set! What in Heru's name?" cried Mahaado, out of breath. The shorter man kept his distance, cautious of the four animals that were now growling and hissing at him in threat.

"Don't do anything to them and they won't do anything to you," Set replied back, turning his attention once more to studying the heka flow inside Kheper'shaye's body.

Nothing seemed to be out of place. Each wispy stream and individual thread continued to flow harmoniously in tandem.

"How is he? What happened? And is he…?" Mahaado spoke up again.

"No, but he won't wake up. I'm trying to find out why, so stop interrupting me."

"… What about the animals?"

Set released a sigh of frustration.

"What about them? They are his friends. As long as you do not harm him, they will not harm you. Go back to the carriage and tell Kalim and the others to set up temporary shelter here for now. I want to bring him to somewhere cooler where he'll less likely contract a fever."

Mahaado stood in silence for a moment before sighing in agreement and then turned to hurry away.

"Fine, I'll be right back."

Set went back to the important task at hand, becoming frustrated at himself for not seeing anything unusual. There were too many strands to look at. At this rate, he would never finish studying them all.

"What am I even supposed to look at?" he asked under his breath as he shifted the other boy's head more snugly onto his lap.

He squinted as something glimmered from the edge of his vision and widened his eyes in surprise as a transparent string of gold heka flickered abruptly into existence. To his astonishment, it extended from the center of Kheper'shaye's chest to each of the animals who were sitting obediently around their ward.

Set blinked and looked deeper, perplexed. _What did this gold heka mean?_ He had never seen that particular color of heka before in all his life. And why did they connect to his animal companions?

The gold heka pulsed, steadily becoming brighter and brighter until Set had to look away from the blinding light. It gave a bright flash and then dimmed back to a normal level immediately.

Unexpectedly, a resonant voice broke through the silence, jolting Set to the core once more as he looked around for the source only to discover that the words were coming from Kheper'shaye's mouth.

The boy still had his eyes closed, but his mouth moved in sync with the words that were spoken. He was speaking in an archaic and ancient Kemet dialect, one that Set fortunately understood only because he had studied it extensively on his own during his time in exile.

_"They have come and desecrated what is mine.  
With cruel voices they pushed his head to the ground.  
They stripped him of his Name and have judged him unjustly.  
O, where is Truth in this world? Where is Justice?  
No, there is no truth, for justice is in the hands of power."_

Set could not help but gape in stunned silence. This was the boy who hadn't been able to speak in the many months he had known him. The voice coming out from him was the same voice he'd gotten used to hearing inside his head, but the undercurrents were tinted with an ethereal and transcendent quality he did not recognize.  
_  
"My Children have been ostracized and left to the wayside.  
My Lover they brutally cursed and denigrated.  
My Name has been forgotten and removed from the records.  
But I will continue to live each day for retribution.  
My purpose they can never take away from me."_

It was a poignant lyrical elegy, Set realized after the second verse, one he had never heard before. And though he did not know why, the sad lyrics struck a chord somewhere deep inside him, leaving him feeling inexplicably distressed. Why were these words coming out of Kheper'shaye's lips? Who was he to articulate these ancient words of unexplainable sorrow?  
_  
Though they may slay or plunder me, I will not be stopped.  
I will take back what is mine, obstructions pushed aside.  
For Time is my nurturer, Darkness my father.  
My ally is the Endless Waters and Invisibility is my cloak.  
Chaos will reign, and my Legacy will be carried out forevermore."_

And just as suddenly as the voice begun, it stopped, leaving an uncanny silence in its wake.

The gold threads of heka vanished, and the spell broke, but back in the depths of Set's mind, a faint pulse started once more. It was weak and a little uneven, but it was there, that familiar presence he had come to feel affection for.

Set released the breath he had been holding the entire time, and he instantly grasped the boy's cheeks in his hands.

"Kheper'shaye, wake up! If you can hear me, just wake up!" he pleaded once more.

But the boy remained dead to the world, silent as the grave.

He knew the boy was fine, he could feel him now inside his mind, but Set could not stop himself from breaking down nevertheless, the day's events finally catching up to him. He did not know what was wrong with Kheper'shaye mentally, and he did not know why those spoken verses made his heart felt like it was breaking in two.

He laid his forehead against the unconscious boy's and felt unbidden tears of heartbreak and relief all mixed together fall from his eyes to trickle down onto the pale boy's face.

"You said you would cry with me when I am sad," he whispered to the comatose boy as a reminder. "Why do I feel like this? What do those verses mean? Why does it make me feel like my heart is tearing to pieces? Tell me…"

He felt a soft nudge on his shoulder, and he shifted his head sideways to look at the intervener.

"I'm guessing you're… Tumaini—from what he's said about you… Am I right?" he said to the forlorn-looking wolf. He wiped his eyes with the sleeves of his robe.

The wolf yipped softly and nuzzled into his side as a reply.

He stared at the other three pairs of eyes that were now watching him intently.

"He will wake up, won't he?" he asked them rhetorically. "I know he will. When the time is right," he assured himself.

They all continued to look at him with understanding in their eyes.

Set cleared his throat and chose to glare at them.

"But what are you all? Just who are you?" he asked, seemingly out of the blue. But that question had been in his mind ever since he laid eyes on Khai for the first time, and now that he had seen the rest of them and had witnessed the gold heka that connected them to Kheper'shaye, he had to know.

The apparent spokesperson of the four, the hawk, squawked before ruffling his feathers and began to preen himself.

"I saw the gold heka connecting all of you to him. Why?" Set continued to question, eyes narrowing at the bird's obvious disregard to his question.

This time, the black mamba hissed at him only to focus his entire attention to recoiling himself on top of Kheper'shaye's warm beating chest.

"He was never able to speak out loud to me, so what was the voice coming out of him? What was that about? What does it mean?"

The gazelle just looked at him and settled herself into a comfortable position before chomping on a chunk of grass in front of her.

"You can all feign ignorance right now, but I will find out eventually. I always do," he finally retorted, focusing his own attention back on his unconscious companion. He took off the outer layer of his robe and draped it across the boy's entire front, purposefully covering Khai who was lying comfortably on the boy's chest.

The snake hissed from under the robes as it slithered out quickly to glare and hiss at him.

Set smirked arrogantly. _Take that_, he thought to himself.

Unexpectedly from beside him, the wolf yipped in obvious amusement, giving him a wet lick on the cheek. Set sighed a little and scratched the wolf's ears, finding it easy to be partial to the canine. Apparently the other had taken a liking to him as well.

Meanwhile, Khai seemed affronted, hissing in threat at Set as it quickly slid up Tumaini's foreleg to coil around the wolf's neck. Tumaini whined and shifted onto his haunches but did nothing to stop Khai from settling around his neck. Nearby the hawk screeched, entertained by the whole situation.

"You're Ashai," Set pointed out.

The hawk puffed out its feathery chest.

"Then you must be Bahiti," he addressed the gazelle who turned her knowing eyes to him.

"Hn. You all understand me. You can't be normal animals. And you all have the heka required in a physical being so you can't be spiritual manifestations. But at the same time, you all share a gold heka connection with Kheper'shaye, but I can't figure out what that means just yet," he reasoned.

Ashai stared at him, quite impressed.

"I'm intellectually gifted and you guys make it too obvious," he explained indifferently, his blue eyes straying back to the boy on his lap. He removed Kheper'shaye's hood and began stroking his hair with long fingers absently as his eyes focused once more on the heka inside.

"He was cursed somehow. And until I can figure how and where he's been affected, he won't be able to come with me to Iunu."

The red heka that connected himself to Kheper'shaye was thankfully still there, as he could sense the other's quiet presence in his head. But the gold heka was gone. He frowned, looking for signs of a curse, a notch in a strand of heka or even an added wisp that didn't belong.

"Set!" Mahaado called from the distance. "Come up a bit! We can settle near the trees for now and set up shelter. The carriages are here."

Set sighed, not wanting to stop what he was doing, but maybe Mahaado could help him in some way. Putting the hat back on the boy's head and gathering him in his arms, he stood up so he could move Kheper'shaye to somewhere more comfortable. Tumaini stood up on all fours beside him, Khai still hanging from his neck. Ashai and Bahiti were alert as well, waiting to follow him.

"Fine," Set murmured. "Just don't scare everyone, especially you," he pointedly looked at Khai, who hissed back arrogantly.

Ashai squawked in glee.

* * *

The instant they all strode further up to the hill to where Mahaado, Kalim, and their carriages were, all voices stopped. The soldiers under Mahaado and Kalim's command stared wide-eyed at the tall priest carrying a pale-looking youth to his chest with a small litter of animals trailing beside him.

"Wolf!" one cried in alarm.

"Is that a black mamba curled around its neck?" another asked fearfully.

A hawk glided slightly overhead, low enough to scare several of them into ducking before settling on top of a low-hanging branch overlooking the camp.

"No one will harm any of these four animals, do I have myself clear?" Mahaado ordered, stepping next to Set to scan the boy across his arms. The wolf growled at him in warning, and he immediately raised both hands up in a friendly nonthreatening gesture.

"Relax, boy. I'm just helping."

Set just shook his head and moved to one of three temporary shelters already set up near the carriages. The gazelle followed him gracefully before halting just outside of the tent, unable to enter due to its size. It settled for standing comfortable outside, dipping its head to graze on the abundant wild grass.

"I couldn't find anything unusual with his heka, Mahaado. What do you know about hidden curses?" Set spoke up after he had laid the boy on a blanket folded out across the ground. The wolf and snake had pushed their way inside the tent, settling beside Set.

"Hidden? Are you sure?" Mahaado asked, eyes bright in the dimness of the tent as he looked warily at them. "In order to hide such a powerful curse, one needs to expend a lot of power. Even I can't hide curses."

"I can't find anything abnormal about his heka pattern, so that has to be it. There is no other possible explanation I can think of."

"Hmm, then it cannot be so easily dispelled, I'm afraid. Only someone with higher or equal power to the original caster would be able perform the ritual necessary for anti-curses. And of course it will be even more difficult if you don't even know where the curse is."

Set frowned. "I'll do it. Just tell me how it's done."

"It's not as simple as you think it is, Set," Mahaado interjected.

"I know that. But I will not stand around and do nothing while he can't even help himself!"

Mahaado sighed at Set's stubbornness and turned his eyes to the unconscious boy to see just what was so important about this person to have Set so passionate about something.

His eyes widened slightly as he finally took in the unconscious boy's exotic features.

"He looks like a—"

"Foreigner. So what about it?" Set finished for him, glaring at him in warning.

Mahaado shook his head. "Nothing, it's just… I didn't expect it."

"He's rightfully a citizen of Kemet. He knows our customs and our ways. He's just special, like my mother was."

"Ah, you may be right." Mahaado replied briefly, not wanting to broach the sensitive topic of Set's mother.

To be honest, this boy looked a lot more exotic than Set's mother had been. He remembered seeing the woman as a child. She had been a beguiling and mysterious person with icy blue eyes that seemed to see through his soul. He had been a little afraid of her as most children had heard from their parents of her being a witch that could steal a person's soul.

Of course, now that he was older and could judge for himself, he knew better than to listen to petty rumors, but that didn't stop the small chill inside.

"Why is he unconscious? Is he hurt?" he asked tentatively.

"I don't know. He is physically fine," Set replied soberly.

"We can ask Kalim to take a look at him. Maybe you missed something, and Kalim has the ability of his Millennium Item to see if his soul is still present."

"His soul is still present, if that's what you're worried about. He is in deep sleep and will wake up when the time is right.

"And when is that?"

Set sighed. "I don't know. But until his curse is broken, I will stay with him."

Mahaado shook his head. "You can't. You have to perform the ceremony for Hem-Netjer within the week."

"I will not leave his side."

"Set, you have to understand. You have to fulfill your obligations to the King as Hem-Netjer. Meanwhile, we will send for some of the guards to protect your friend if you're worried about his wellbeing."

Set snorted in outright derisiveness.

"And look where that got him. They are all incompetent cowards and they treat him like he is a disease. I will not leave him again. The ceremony of the Hem-Netjer can proceed after we break his curse. I'm sure Atem will understand."

Unwilling to give in to this important argument, Mahaado glared at him, inadvertently raising his voice. "Yes, he will understand that it is now your duty as Hem-Netjer to lay your full loyalty to the King and his people. They are your first priority now! Where do your loyalties really lie, Set? With this unknown boy? Or with our King?"

The wolf next to Set whined, howling softly into its paws. The snake hissed angrily, its head raised to strike if the argument went further.

Set scowled, refusing to answer Mahaado as he turned his attentions to the unconscious boy.

Mahaado sighed once more, feeling himself lose all the steam and ire that had built up from the day's events. He couldn't blame Set for making a new companion, and it wasn't like the boy could help being cursed, but Set had to understand that his position and the King were his top priorities now. There were just some things he couldn't attach himself too closely to.

"I will travel back to Iunu immediately before dusk arrives and deliver a message to the King. You can stay with him until I come back with further orders. Kalim will stay with you for now," Mahaado replied with finality as he left the tent.

Sitting in the silence, Set clutched a hand to his head, wishing he could do something, anything to fix this situation. He stared at his companion's sleeping face and closed his eyes.

He needed to think.

* * *

Kalim was a strong man of few words.

He had developed a habit of thinking carefully before speaking out loud as his father had taught him as a child.

He also prided in his ability to stay calm and collected in the most extreme circumstances. But even he could not prevent himself from becoming just a little bowled over of recent events.

First, he'd never thought this priest Set would be such a noble, arrogant man with enough defiance to speak to the King so directly. Secondly, this proud man apparently had the power and the intelligence to back up his claims. Thirdly, he still couldn't believe Atum-Ra, the sun, had actually darkened in broad daylight. That was totally unheard of. And now he had been ordered to stay with the intimidating man and his supposed ward until further orders from the King.

He sat in the tent silently staring in fascination at the unconscious boy with pale and foreign features, long light eyelashes, and rosy cheeks with full pink lips.

At first priest Set had refused to leave the boy alone with him but eventually, even the priest had to have a break sometime for personal reasons. He had stepped out shortly to take care of his personal toiletries and had given Kalim a short warning glare to keep his hands to himself.

Kalim had wanted to roll his eyes, but the menacing growl of the wolf still inside the tent had stopped him short.

So now he was warily sitting cross-legged in silence as he did the only thing he was allowed—stare at his audience. The golden wolf was making intimidating growling noises from deep within its throat while a deadly silver snake had its head raised in striking pose, hissing ferociously at him.

To say Kalim was a little beyond his limit was an understatement.

What exactly were these animals? How were they related to priest Set and the unconscious boy, and who was this foreign boy with some crazily powerful curse anyway?

He sighed quietly to himself, trying to meditate using his Millennium Scales as a medium.

And that was when he thought of something.

Kalim prided in his clear head and loyalty to the King, and though the King seemed to trust priest Set, he had seen signs of wavering loyalty in the taller man.

He had originally been against the idea of finding a counter-curse for someone who could be a dangerous criminal—believing the King's wellbeing was his first and main priority. And though the boy looked innocent enough, looks could be deceiving and one could never be too sure…

…Which brought him back to his predicament now. He had the means to see inside the boy's heart and judge it using the Millennium Scales. And if he turned out to have a _pure heart lighter than Ma'at's feather [3]_, then no one would ever have to know he had peered into his heart at all.

It would certainly clear up his doubts in bringing in a potentially dangerous intruder into the palace.

He cautiously glanced at the wolf and snake once more before closing his eyes in concentration, feeling the power of the Scales envelop him. He concentrated just a little harder and felt the familiar feeling of his spirit leaving his body and floating down into a black hole.

In the distance, he thought he could hear the howling of the wolf. But it was too late, and nothing aside from his Scales could send him back, not even the wolf's cry.

He felt his feet touching solid ground and prepared to open his eyes to look around. Now that his spiritual manifestation was outside the internal gates to the boy's heart, he could just simply open them and weigh his heart.

But what he saw instead of the customary gates made him step back in fear. All he could see was darkness, and for a moment he thought he had gone blind. He paused, feeling for a door or even a wall.

After what felt like hours and he still hadn't found the gates, he was prepared to call his spirit back to the physical world. This feeling of hollowness and space left him at a loss, and for the first time in his life, Kalim felt fear blossom in his stomach.

He closed his eyes once more and concentrated on the power of the Scales only to be sent flying by some kind of invisible energy.

He shouted in alarm, feeling his back impacting ground. A transcendent voice echoed inside his head.

_Servant of Heru, of what right do you have to be standing in my presence?_

Kalim stared blindly in front him, unable to answer, so afraid was he.

_You will not answer and you will not pass. Leave at once!_

Helpless, he felt himself being lifted off the ground by an invisible hand. The hand threw him upwards and he yelled out in fear.

_My heart is for no one but Chaos._

…was the last thing he thought he heard echoing faintly in his head before he blacked out.

Kalim sat upright, feeling his breath come in great gasps. He was miraculously back in his physical body not by his own will.

Still feeling the aftereffects of his experience, his wide eyes unintentionally fastened on the livid face of priest Set.

His deep blue eyes burned a hole into him, and he turned away to stare at the still unconscious boy.

_What in the world _was_ he?_

"What were you doing?" Set exploded at him. "I told you to do nothing! And not even a minute I was gone, you decide that you have to judge him with the Scales? I told you he is innocent!"

"It's a nightmare," he whispered to himself, unheeding of Set's anger. "It was nothing but darkness… and there was something else inside… It-it's not normal."

"What are you blabbering about?" demanded Set.

"_Servant of Heru, you will not answer and you will not pass… Leave at once… my heart is for no one but Chaos…_" he repeated absently before fainting dead away.

Set stared incredulously at the now unconscious man, turning his head to look at Tumaini and Khai. Both looked at him solemnly and then dropped their attention to Kheper'shaye, who was now breathing heavily in some kind of nightmare.

Set immediately kneeled beside the boy and dabbed a cool damp cloth to his forehead as he removed the boy's hat. He stroked the boy's fevered cheeks and whispered reassurances into his hair. All the while, his mind was whirring in overtime trying to connect Kalim's whispered words to the voice that had spoken out loud from Kheper'shaye earlier on.

_Was there another entity inside of Kheper'shaye, one of darkness?_ Whatever it was, it had somehow kicked Kalim out of Kheper'shaye's heart. _Did the voice belong to that other entity? And why Kheper'shaye?_ What did it all mean? _Chaos_—it had said twice—_Chaos will reign… My heart is for no one but Chaos…_

Set's overworked thoughts were interrupted as he watched Kheper'shaye cough, his lidded eyes fluttering open slowly.

Set held in his breath in anticipation, pausing in his ministrations.

Those eyes opened fully, so gold and bright and…inhuman— and stared straight into his soul.

"_\Sutekh…_\" those muted lips somehow whispered.

Set felt his heart plunge.

**End of Chapter 8.  
**

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

If you're wondering what heka looks like in this story and still can't picture it, the closest illustration that I can think of would be like the Lifestream in Final Fantasy VII—strands and strands of threadlike essence that combine into streams. However, unlike the Lifestream, they're invisible to the common eye and come in many different colors, lengths, and intensities. I don't know what else to compare them to, haha.

Just so you know…this chapter was _really _difficult for me to write.

**Footnotes:**

**[1]** The reason Set says Sutekh here is because Sutekh is depicted as a war deity that no one wants to incur the wrath of.

**[2]** The escorts hired by Set in Khmenu had believed Set to be lying about his position in the King's court. Because of this, they had taken to calling him "wabu," which is a title for lower-ranked priests. However, after the appearance of Mahaado with his very recognizable jewelry, he finds out to his dismay that Set indeed had been telling the truth the whole time. He really got lucky for deciding to stay. I wonder what will happen to the other guards that fled after they're found by Set? (shudders at the thought)

**[3]** The concept of the Ma'at's feather and scale in Egyptian mythology: When a person dies, their heart is said to be judged on a scale with a feather on one side. If their heart is found to be lighter than Ma'at's feather, they are considered righteous and continue to the afterlife. However, if they are found heavier than the feather, they are left to be devoured by Ammut, the Devourer of Souls. Kalim's Millennium Scale is a representation of this.


End file.
